Placing First
by ancient-relic
Summary: AU. Kagome is a mechanical genius with a need for speed, who marches to the beat of her own drum. But what's it to InuYasha? In the world of gang warefare, the best are snatched up by whoever gets to them first- just like Kagome's father, before her...
1. No Strings Attached

**A/N:** Okay, here's a new story. I probably shouldn't be writing or posting it now, but I had to get it down, or it'd eat at me till it drove me crazy. So please, let me know what you think. Read and Review!

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the following InuYasha characters, or any of the cars, explosives, or heavy artillery mentioned. Do NOT forget that.

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**Summary: **A.U. Kagome, just like her missing father, is a genius. Racing was in his blood, and it's in hers too. In meeting InuYasha, new roads are opened up to her. But does Kagome really like where they're headed?

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**Placing First**

**Prologue: No Strings Attached**

**By: ancient-relic**

"Shippo, have you locked in on the coordinates?" Miroku demanded, looking at the gangly teen with dusty orange hair.

"Give us a second…aaand yes!" the boy said, his eyes snapping up from the laptop that sat on his lap. "The armored truck is moving down the freeway at 120 km/h, and will be over the middle of the bridge in about three minutes and twenty-seven seconds."

"Did you get that Jaken?" Miroku said into a headset, one identical to the one that the boy Shippo was wearing. He shut the door, and headed over to where the other cars were lined up, waiting.

"Yeah, yeah." The little thing grunted. "Sesshomaru, the explosives are in place, right before the third suspension of the off ramp."

"Good." A deep voice replied. "Sango, are you in position?"

"Did you think I wouldn't be? I am, right out of the line of fire, safe with the detonator." She replied smugly.

"Sesshomaru. Read across from Sango with the smoke screens and machine guns." InuTaisho said, before his son could say anything.

"And InuYasha?" Sesshomaru questioned into his headset, sitting in their getaway cars.

"Ready with the 'road closed' signs. The 'construction ones too." He replied, watching the truck approach from the shoulder of the ramp, his car parked a little further down.

"Miroku, the truck has picked up speed." Shippo said, alerting everyone that was listening.

"I can see that too." InuYasha replied, looking at the grey studded vehicle. "This is gunna be a tight fit."

"All right." Sesshomaru said, rubbing his temples wearily. "Miroku, pick up on the police wavelengths, and Shippo, jam the stoplight frequencies by the station. If we can avoid it, we're going to be long gone by the time the cops even get close. Everyone know what's happening? You better. This is it."

Shippo started the count. "10… 9…"

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"8…" Miroku chimed in, looking at his camera that were following the cops around town. 

"7…" Jaken squawked, placing a hard helmet on his head and standing next to Sango.

"6…" she added, giving the thumbs-up to InuTaisho.

"5…" InuTaisho said.

"4…" InuYasha warned, dragging his sign back into place and dashing for his car where Shippo was waiting.

"3… 2…" Sesshomaru surmised.

As the great truck pass almost directly overhead, Sango nimbly pushed the button, sending a chain reaction of explosives off and the truck screeching to a halt as the bridge around it crumbled.

Smoke and debris went flying everywhere, and everyone took that moment of confusion to move. "Go!" Sesshomaru yelled.

And though no one needed the command, they went on swiftly. InuTaisho launched a little smoke bomb through the front window of the truck, knocking out the drivers.

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InuTaisho then proceeded around the back, where Sango and Jaken were pulling on gloves, as to leave no fingerprints behind. "Stand back. Don't want to be on the receiving end of the ricochet." He informed them, cocking the gun. Then, holding one arm out and taking careful aim, he sent a few rounds flying at the lock, successfully breaking it open. 

On cue, Sesshomaru, Miroku, and InuYasha came ripping into the little area under the bridge, and spun dangerously so their trunks were to the truck. InuTaisho burst the doors open with force, and they were met with dozens of silver cases, just as they had been informed of.

"Grab them and let's go! The cops are on their way!" Miroku yelled, sticking his head out of the window. "I don't know how, but I think that someone tipped them off!"

"It was probably why they sped up… the drivers I mean. Someone figured out something…" Shippo stated, more to himself, but everyone heard anyhow.

"All right them. Here, toad. Don't drop these." Sango said, dumping three of 36 silver cases on his little head.

In mere moments, all of the cases were loaded into the respective cars, 12 to a vehicle. "All right!" The cops are going to be on us in about thirty seconds!" Shippo screamed into the microphone.

"Okay people, you heard the midget genius. Time to go!" Sesshomaru barked, as Jaken and his father slid into his car. Sango slipped into her own car that Miroku was currently driving, and they were off, InuYasha leading the way. Shippo had the GPS, after all.

"Sango! You're at the rear… the cops are armed! They were most definitely expecting this!" Shippo proclaimed, using the little speeding camera's that all cop cars had on them to scope out the officers.

"It's okay, you guys. I'll handle this… I'm glad we're not carrying the ammunition!" she replied, shuffling around into the back seat.

"Who is?" Sesshomaru demanded.

"InuYasha!" Miroku replied, as Sango was busy, her head and upper torso stuck through a hole that connected with the trunk. "Make sure he doesn't take any short of any kind!"

"On it. Is it just gunpowder?" Sesshomaru replied, taking a quick look in his review mirror, then his side mirror, and switching gears.

"No. I'm pretty sure there's a few small gas bombs and I50 hand grenades too." Miroku said, swerving around some construction, also switching gears.

"Why the hell did you decide to load me up with the most frickin' dangerous cargo?" InuYasha yelled, taking a sharp right through a parking lot. They were now entering the business neighborhood, and had to be more careful about pedestrians.

"Watch out, Sango dear." Miroku said, warning her about the turn. "Because InuYasha, you're one of the most dangerous drivers here, and we can depend on you not to take a bullet. Your driving would throw our pursuers off completely." Miroku said honestly.

"Okay guys, I'm going to fire off a couple of rounds, and when I signal, I need to switch places with Taisho, so that he can drop a couple of smoke screens." Sango said.

"All right, you have about thirty seconds. Tops." Sesshomaru said, calculating the useable distance that they had along the end of this little deserted road.

"You got it!" Sango smirked, opening the sunroof, and clicking open the silver case that she had wrestled out of the trunk.

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With nimble hands, she assembled a 22mm sharpshooter rifle, and seconds later, she was hanging out of the sunroof, aiming for the windshield of the nearest cop car. 

"Fire One!" she muttered. Squeezing the trigger with expert fingers, one bullet went flying, hitting her target of the windshield. It was only to send a frenzy of cracks cris-crossing along the surface, damaging visibility.

"Fire Two!" was carefully aimed at their right tire, sending the car careening into a pile of trash that they had passed.

"You've got about ten seconds…" Sesshomaru warned, looking at the warning signs that were flashing about the bridge preparing to rise. "Miroku, take the stairs on your left."

Sango shot her last bullet, into the left tire of the second car. It hit dead on, causing the car to skid as it's driver hit the brakes. Quickly ducking back into the car, Miroku took the little flight of stairs, sending him flying and landing in between Sesshomaru and InuYasha. "You're on!" Sango yelled against the wind, her hair whipping around her as she popped out the sunroof to give Sesshomaru the thumbs-up.

InuTaisho mimicked her position at the sunroof, taking his last smoke bomb and shooting it out of his gun, creating a thick wall of smoke that provided effective cover.

"Here we go!" InuYasha said, pressing his foot down ever further, the car speeding up dramatically. "Over the bridge we go!" he laughed, and it was soon joined by his comrades.

"Get In!" He yelled, his car careening over the split in the bridge.

"Get Out!" Miroku and Sango echoed, as they too went zooming over the increasing gap.

"Get Even!" Sesshomaru, InuTaisho and Jaken chorused, skidding on the other side of the bridge and coming to a rest with the other two cars.

"Yes!" high fives were passed around, and InuTaisho chuckled. "You did well, son. I think you're stepping into the position of my job well. That worked out well, no strings attached."

"Thank you, father." Sesshomaru said, a smirk resting lightly on his face. "Lets go into town for a drink. The cops aren't going to catch us now!" Sesshomaru said, revving up his engine again.

Everyone cheered appreciatively, and followed his car through little streets into town.

**To Be Continued...**

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**A/N:** Well, there's my sad attampt at writing something action-packed. It totally tanked. However, let me know if you agreed, or if you disaggreed. In a review! 

Until next time (In the next chapter)

**ancient-relic**


	2. First Encounter

**A/N: **Well, here's the first official chapter- I'm really sorry that it took this long to get it up. I didn't mean for it to, really. I hoe you don't hate me. I won't procrastinate this chapter any longer, so don;t let me keep you. On with the chapter!

Don't forget to read and review! Please and thanks, of course.

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything that is mentioned in this chapter- except for the car. Or, I'd like to...

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**Summary:** A.U Kagome, just like her missing father, is a genius. Racing was in his blood, and it's in hers too. In meeting InuYasha, new roads are opened up to her. But does Kagome really like where they're headed?

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**Last Chapter:** Sesshomaru pulled off his first job perfectly, much to his fathers delight. Their little team, the Inu-Youkai, were perfectly in-synch with each other, proving that they were the best on the streets of Tokyo. However, with the police catching on to their tricks faster than usual, it was an unspoken guess that their rival gang; the Kuro-youkai, were behind it.

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**Placing First**

**Chapter One- First Encounter**

**By ancient-relic**

"Sota!" Kagome yelled, turning away from the stairs. She didn't have time to wait for her little brother- she was ready to leave for school _now_. Which was exactly what she wanted to do.

"Yeah, yeah." He replied, stomping down the stairs, buttoning the top of his uniform, and sliding his bag over his shoulder. His brown hair was still a little ruffled, but it always stuck up in that strange position. Even their mother had given up on trying to smooth it, or grow it out. _His hair is just like his fathers…_ she'd always sigh. Then, she'd look dramatically into the distance as if she was remembering something fantastic. Kagome gagged at the mere thought of it- who knows what she was remembering!

"I'm ready to go now- whether you are or not. I don't want to be late again, like last week!" she chastised. She silently thanked her lucky stars that her teachers loved her so much- but that was probably just because she was the smartest in her grade. She had been late last week, because of Sota, missing the closing of the gate, barely. However, the teacher that had been on duty that week, was her favourite, and he; Mr. Hiragana, had generously let her slip into class without any kind of punishment.

"Okay, jeez! Don't forget though- I promised Satoru a ride today! We have to pick him up at the bus stop by the WacDonalds!"

"That's fine. It's on the way to school, anyhow." Kagome sighed, and went into the kitchen. Her mother was busy packing up their lunchboxes, and was trying a little knot on hers when she moved over.

"Oh, here's your lunch, dear." Kagome reached out, and took the box that was offered. "And please don't be late coming home today, because I've invited Sanzo and Hojo-kun over for dinner!" she said giggling, something that was very strange to head coming from her own mother.

"Fine, whatever." Kagome sighed, grabbing Sota's lunch, and pushing it to him as he followed her out the door. Figures, Akitoki was going to come over after school. However, at least she didn't have to drive him- he'd probably get her seats all dirty.

Akitoki Hojo. He had been practically obsessed with her last year, following her home, confronting her in the hallways. All he ever wanted was a date- but even Kagome had to admit- the attention was annoying after a while. Nothing that she did or could say would deter him, and when he had met her mother, they were practically two peas in a pod. She thought he was sweet, and he thought she was a dear. Again, Kagome involuntarily gagged turning her mind away from that thought immediately. Anyhow, hope came to her when her mother started 'seeing' Akitoki Sanzo, Hojo's father. Hojo left her alone after that.

However, bad things always seemed to happen to Kagome, as not long after he had left her alone, Sanzo had proposed to her mother, and she had eagerly accepted. _Goodness knows that you two could use a father-like figure around the house… because Hosui wasn't._ She could hear her mother now. Her excuse of bringing the man into the house…

Kagome hated him. Sota didn't mind him at all, and he and Hojo got along fabulously. Kagome hated Hojo too, but that was besides the point. Because if her mother liked Sanzo, then that was good. Kagome really did want to see her happy. God knows she deserved happiness, after Hosui disappeared from their lives when Kagome was only five. She couldn't remember anything about her father, besides his million-watt smile and his love for auto-mechanics. Both of which, her mother told Kagome that she inherited from him.

_Sota got his hair, and you got his smile._ She'd say._ Oh- and you got his brains, Kagome. Goodness knows that I can't think like that…_

Kagome was done waiting for the garage. She manually pushed the door up herself, and moved some of the clutter that she had left strewn around the garage out of the way. Sitting in the middle of the garage, was her newest creation.

She had been working on it for months now, using spare parts from some of the cars that Sanzo had bought her as bribes. However, Kagome still wouldn't except him… but no matter. She had bought some minor parts herself, as well as the proper paint and finish for the body.

Kagome was proud when she had gotten her masterpiece tested by the officials, who had promptly deemed it okay for the road. Of course, Kagome hadn't showed them all the bonus features that she had installed for her own amusement…

Kagome had designed, and put together, her very own car. It was her first car, too. And over all, she was so happy. Her mother was glad that she had something keeping her busy and off the streets, and Sanzo was amazed, is a little disgruntled that she had torn up his three gifts to her.

Taking the majority of the _'BMW Z4 Coupe' _model, she had added in her own touches sporadically, changing the layout and functioning of the 6-cylinder engine, and adding to the braking system, using some older designs of her fathers that she had edited. Finally finished with the car itself, she set to work on the insides of the car.

At first, she had been thinking of doing a white leather interior, but that would also mean that it'd get really dirty, quite easily. So instead, she decided on a deep navy colored leather, seeing as black was a tad too dark for her tastes. The blue was deep in color though, so at first glance, it was rather hard to tell otherwise. She, however, had the satisfaction of knowing the exact color, seeing as she had picked it.

Once having picked the blue leather, she decided on keeping to her favourite colours; blues, silvers, and whites. Which, was quite magnificent- they always manages to look superb together. Whilst shopping, she had found a nice cloth, a deep blue with strands of silver woven into it. Also purchasing some simple white cloth, she layered them for the roof of the car to create a dark look, that perfectly matched with the seats.

The dashboard matched the seats, with the blue leather, the different consoles Kagome had figured into dash and around the steering wheel rimmed with chrome and stainless steel. Her mother wouldn't mind a few kitchen utensils missing, right? She had only melted them…

The remaining leather and blue fabric went into the doors, with the locks and the window controls also in stainless steel. Speakers were hidden underneath a thin layer of cloth, one in each door, two in the dash, and another two along the back.

The Coupe model didn't have a back seat, but Kagome had added one, shortening the trunk space and the room for the engine in the front. Now, there was one, albeit it was smaller than the spacious front seats. Kagome was satisfied with the interior of the car, finally after about two weeks. The exterior, mainly the paint job and the detailing, had taken another two weeks. She had been car-less for a good month and a half, and sighed in relief. Finally, she could drive her masterpiece into town.

Climbing into the driver's seat, she twisted her new steel and crystal key into the ignition, and listened appreciatively as the car roared to life, settling on a deep melodic purr. If she sat still enough, she could feel the vibrations of the engine thrumming through the body of the car. And to think- she had created this, herself.

"KAGOME! Stop fawning over your car and get out here! We're gonna be late for school if you keep this up!" Sota yelled, still waiting outside of the garage. Kagome had taught him the hard way- the garage was hers, and thus off limits. He didn't dare push it now.

Kagome shook her head, and geared the car into movement. She really liked stick-shift cars, but she didn't have the material to make her first creation one. So she settled for automatic… for now. This was only her first, right?

Sota, never seeing her creation before, was practically breathless when the sunlight hit his sister's newest creation. The car was beautiful- he had to admit. The nose of the car was painted a deep navy blue, and it continued down the length of the body, right past the doors. There, it slowly faded into a silver, which in turn faded into black by the time the colour reached the taillights.

"Wow!" he breathed. Kagome smirked in triumph. One awed- how many more to go?

"Get in, you little brat. We're going to be late picking up your friend, and for school." She chastised, pressing a button on the console nearest to her.

There was a sound of pressurized air being released, and the door swung open, pulling gently on the hinges and springs Kagome had installed before coming to a stop. Sota did nothing, his eyes having widened impossibly wider after seeing the door open itself. With another press of another button, the chair pressed forward automatically, allowing passage to the backseat.

"SO-TA!" Kagome roared, revving the engine, startling him out of his stupor.

"Nee-san, you made this yourself?" Sota asked, as he climbed into the backseat, depositing his back on the passenger side. Kagome re-adjusted the passenger seat after he was through, and nodded.

"Yep!" she said cheerily, looking only once into the review mirror to make sure the garage was closed before pushing on the gas, and speeding out of the drive way like a lunatic.

"NEEEE-SAAAN!"

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Kagome roared down the main road on the way to WacDonalds, enjoying the attention of all the passer-by as she zoomed down the street. Sota was practically hanging out the passenger-side window, also soaking up the attention. 

"You're a genius, Kagome. I never could have done this!" he praised, before pointing out the window. "There he is! Satoru-chan!" he waved wildly to his friend, who was watching the vehicle speedily approach.

"Sota, stop leaning out of the car. It's time to test the brakes." Kagome grinned at her brother through the review mirror, who shrunk back into his seat, eyeing his sister warily. She was up to no good- her smile said it all.

Kagome showed no signs of slowing at all as she headed towards the fast-food restaurant, and mere seconds away from passing the stop all together, she shifted from the gas to the brake with her foot. The car began to slow, not screeching, and not jerkily. It was a strange sensation; Sota thought- to be going so fast and then slow instantly so smoothly. Kagome however, mentally cheered at the swooping sensation in her stomach that always signified success. Her braking system was working perfectly! And of course, the new, durable tires that she had modified…

Pressing the same button as earlier, Satoru stood there amazed, as the door opened for him. "Get in runt, or we'll be late!" Kagome grunted, shocking Satoru out of his stupor. Success. He deposited his bag, and climbed past the chair and into the back seat, next to Sota.

"Wow! This car is amazing!" he whispered to Sota, who only grinned back.

"Isn't it? Nee-san made it, all by herself!" he gestured to Kagome, who smiled at him and slid her silvery sunglasses back over her eyes. Now, they'd be driving into the sun. With another rev of the engine, Kagome drove off, taking a fast left on a yellow in the direction of Sota's school. There was no more time left to waste.

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With no more of a screech than last time Kagome suddenly pulled into a stop, she slowed in front of Sota's school. All the younger students that had been mulling along the property stopped, watching the car and the silvery rims as they slowed to a stop, spinning of their own accord. They too, Kagome had molded out of kitchen utensils, an intricate spinning pattern enough to give the watcher a headache as they spun. 

A crown almost instantly formed, although all of them took two steps back as the door popped open for a third time. Kagome grabbed her brother's bag, as she slid out of her seat and let it down so he could climb out.

The younger students watched in awe as she stepped out of the car, her black hair framing her eyes and sunglasses as she stepped up and out. Kagome smiled as they ogled her newest creation, whispering to each other.

"Nice wheels, Higurashi!" Some kid cheered, as Sota emerged from the car, a grin on his face. "Isn't it?"

Kagome smiled again. Surely, they'd be talking about it for the rest of the day. _Hope you like your temporary popularity, little brother. _"See you later, nii-san." Kagome waved, and Sota mirrored her action. Sliding back into her car, Kagome pressed the button for closing the door, and righted both seats before speeding off, in the direction of her own school.

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As Kagome drove up along the school, she watched the eyes of the students of the high school. Most of the guys were staring at the car as she passed, the girls looking on jealously. Kagome sure had their attention now, didn't she? She inwardly laughed. 

Rolling down her window, Kagome flashed her parking permit at the security guard, who was almost too preoccupied with taking in every aspect of her car to lift the gates.

It was really dumb that the school had to have them, in her opinion. So what if there were some freak gangs terrorizing the streets of Japan? They sure as hell wouldn't bother a school… or so she thought. Anyhow, because of threats and un-accounted for destruction of public property, they had just about upped the security _everywhere_.

Pulling into a nice wide parking spot near the doors, Kagome parked the car, swift and smooth. Before getting out though, she gathered her school bag and laptop, making sure that all clasps were secure.

Then, flipping open a compartment in the divider between the two seats, she pulled out something that looked like part headphone, part earring. The little machine was something that she had created, a soundless car alarm. It wrapped around her ear, with a little speaker connecting through a special piercing on her ear so that she could hear the alarm if it went off at any time. No way was anyone going to get away with doing anything to _her_ car.

It was small, durable and waterproof. And because it wrapped around the back of her ear, it was nearly impossible to see when her hair was hanging down around her face like it was now. She had placed heat sensors all around the body of her car, so that if anyone so much as brushed it, she'd know. However, the car had it's own settings, and was able to detect the differences between threats to it. If someone brushed it, there was a soft warning. If someone was manhandling it, however, the warning would get louder and more insistent.

Smiling in satisfaction, she turned it on, and climbed out of her car. Manually closing her door, she clicked a button on her key chain to lock everything up. She ignored the strange stares that she was getting as she walked in the direction of school… she was used to them. Enough said.

Everyone thought she was quite strange- a straight A student, and able to do many things that others weren't. And of course, her showing up in a breathtaking car whose license plate read 'iki', well… it fueled their feelings. Because who'd want their license plate to read 'purity'? Obviously the weirdo- Higurashi Kagome.

Needless to say, Kagome made her way through the halls, only getting stopped once along the way. She wasn't really paying attention to where she was going- as she was mulling over plans for a new computer system that she wanted to hook up in her room.

While walking past the principal's office, she accidentally bumped into someone. Luckily, her laptop wasn't damaged when she fell, and Kagome looked up angrily only to see a hand outstretched towards her. Huffing, she took it, and was surprised to have herself pulled to her feet almost as if she was a feather. It wasn't like she was over weight, but whoever helped her up must have been strong.

Kagome let go of the hand that had helped her up, noting the well manicured look. As her eyes traveled up the arm that was attached to it, she marveled at the blatant muscles that she could see rippling as the arm moved back to the body it accompanied.

Her eyes finally made their way to the person's face, where she was met with startling purple eyes. His lips, B_oy are they nice, _were curled around white teeth, resting on tanned skin. _Ooh, what a nice complexion…_ His long black hair was a little unruly, though most of it was hidden underneath a tan cap that had been twisted backwards. He was wearing nice tan slacks and a white shirt, with a lighter tan dress shirt over top, unbuttoned. _At least his taste isn't too twisted…_

"Woah there- sorry about that." _Finally, a voice to match his face…_ Kagome shook her head. Who was this kid?

"It's fine." She said, eyes narrowing at the boy. He was just too good-looking for her own good. But, whatever.

"You should watch where you're going." He continued, following Kagome as she walked past him and continued on to her class. "You might hurt that pretty little ass."

That got her. Kagome turn around, her face beet red. "Who do you think you're talking to? I'm not some hooker that you can just pick up you know. Of all the nerve!" she huffed, continuing on, leaving the strange boy just standing there. All nice thoughts of him left her mind, via the nearest window or door.

"Whatever, hun. See ya around." He waved, although Kagome didn't turn around to see it. She blushed vividly again, and picked up her pace as she marched down the hall.

"Oh, and by the way. Nice car." Kagome paused only a moment, her step faltering. Then, she turned over her shoulder to look back, only to find the boy already gone. She smiled to herself as she continued on. He was certainly interesting, and maybe a change was in order.

**To Be Continued**

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**A/N:** Well, there's the chapter for you. Here it is, summertime, and I thought that I'd be getting so much more done. How wrong I was. Sorry about that, again. 

A final thank's to all of my reviewers, I appreciate it! Now this time, can we top last time? More than ten reivews? Ten is fine- don't want to push it. Be sure to tell me what you think about the story! So please review!

As always,

**ancient-relic**


	3. First Period

**A/N:** I'm really sorry that this chapter took so long to post. I didn't mean for it, but then the whole fact that the line thingies weren't working either. I didn't want to post this without them. And there was the eensie problem that it wasn't done... but hopefully, without firther ado, here is the long awaited chapter of Placing First!

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything that is mentioned in this chapter, or this story. That includes the characters, the cars, and even Kagome's laptop that still doesn't have a name-brand.

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**Summary:** A.U Kagome, just like her missing father, is a genius. Racing was in his blood, and it's in hers too. In meeting InuYasha, new roads are opened up to her. But does Kagome really like where they're headed?

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**Last Chapter:** Kagome was off to school, with the promise of driving both Sota, and his friend Satoru to their middle school, which was not far away from her own high school. It was Kagome's first chance to test her newest creation on the road, and everyone who had the privilege of seeing her car before she sped off, was rightfully awed. A crash with a mysterious raven haired boy put a frown on her face, but as they parted, a smile replaced it with a compliment to her 'baby'.

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**Placing First**

**Chapter Two- First Period**

**By ancient-relic**

Kagome made it to her homeroom class with time to spare. Plunking herself down at her desk by the window, she grabbed her laptop, and booted it up. She had some time to kill, so why not? She was expecting (hopefully…) some email, regarding her application for an online tutoring service job that she had applied (online) for.

The school didn't encrypt their internet connection, so anyone with a wireless connection could access it, and use it for whatever purpose. And though Kagome's laptop was connected to the school for educational purposes, she had changed the link around.

All of the PC's that were connected to the school were watched, 24-7 by a monitor that kept tabs on what the student was doing. Within the respects of that bond, the central computer had the ability to open up any file that it wished from a student's file.

With her laptop connected to that, all of her work was available for whomever to read. Kagome wouldn't stand for that, however, and she changed the connection so that the central computer would see only her 'School Work' file, which was modified to look just like the ones that the students used.

Though the connection had been changed, Kagome still had a connection, something that had been like a two way thing. She had cut if of into a one way connection, making it so she could access the main PC from her computer, and then access anyone else's account from there. It was nifty, really, but she didn't need the connection. She just… felt proud to have made it.

Regardless, Kagome sat starting out the window, one hand propping up her chin. The trees were blowing the young sakura trees around, and the petals were floating all over campus, making it appear as if there was some kind of pink celebration going on. _Pink snow…_

The familiar beep of Kagome's laptop notified her of the fact that the PC her booted up. Yes… Kagome hand moved expertly across the face of the laptop, entering in different commands, and opening up the email window.

"_Sorry, but you have no new mail."_ Came the automated voice.

Kagome sighed, rubbing her forehead. Today was going to be one of _those _days, wasn't it? Did the gods look down on her just because she was a genius? Why did they always have to pick on her!

Slumping her shoulders, she flipped her laptop shut, just as the bell rang. Watching the students come through the doors was nothing new, as she was almost always here before they were. Chatting noisily, the came in, taking their seats.

Something was different about today, though. There were whispers about a celebrity, something that she couldn't make out. Someone important was at their school?

Kagome dismissed the thought- as it was probably nothing more than someone coming in to be a guest speaker for the class. So Kagome resumed looking out the window, at the barred grounds. The cherry blossoms were still falling, drifting eerily over the empty grounds. And then,

"All right class, welcome to another day of class. I hope you're prepared for today's activities, because it's supposed to be very warm out."

It was Mr. Subito, the gym teacher. Unfortunately, Kagome had gym first period, meaning she was bound to get all hot and sticky first period. However, she had second off, now that she was in grade eleven.

"We're -" Mr. Subito was cut of, by a loud, obnoxious knocking on the door. "Please come in!"

Kagome kept one eye trained on the door, watching curiously. Who could it be? Needless to say, she was quite surprised to see that violet-eyed, black haired boy standing in the doorway, a cocky grin on his face. He caught her gaze, and gave her a wink, his grin stretching further across her face.

Kagome turned her head away so that he would not see her blush a few shades of red. She was torn between two reasons- either she was blushing from all the eyes that were on her after the silent interaction, or… well, what girl wouldn't have blushed? The other girls in her class blushed as the guy friggin walked past them. What was up with that?

"Class, I'd like to introduce you to InuYasha Taisho, who will be attending classes today while his father is in town on business. Today is one of hi few chances to participate in regular school activities, with regular students. I do hope that you'll make him feel welcome, okay?"

The class nodded their agreements, and watched with baited breath as Mr. Subito ran down the class list, searching for someone to be his guide for the day.

However, it seemed that InuYasha had other plans in mind- as he moved from his place at the front of the room, weaving his way between the giggling girl and the awed guys, to Kagome's desk, at the back of the room by the door.

"If it's all right with you, Subito-sensei, I'd like Kagome-chan to be my guide. She and I already know each other, and I'd feel the most comfortable with someone that I know." InuYasha said, standing beside Kagome's desk as he talked to the teacher, giving him a grin that no one would dare refuse.

Of course, that was either because he was smiling in the presence of his fan club, or because no one would risk the wrath of his father. Which ever it was, didn't matter to him, as long as he got his way.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at InuYasha as he took a seat next to her, with his grinning widely at her. This did not go unnoticed by her classmates around her, and she could feel glares prickling the back of her neck.

"Hiya hun, miss me?" InuYasha whispered, as the teacher went through the attendance.

"No, not at all." Kagome replied, as she opened her laptop again, intent on finding more information out on InuYasha's presence in her school. "And Kagome-_chan?"_ she emphasized, watching as InuYasha rested his chin on his hands, so that he could hide his wide grin.

"That was just for the girls. Don't get used to it wench." InuYasha said, for the first time his voice sounding like something other than what she had heard it to be. What was with this guy and his mood swings?

Kagome instantly made the connection to the main PC, just as her teacher was called out of the room to talk with the principal. Another substitute teacher that was handy stopped in to watch over the class, as Mr. Subito stepped out.

"Alright class, I won't be more than a minute. When I get back, we'll head for the change rooms."

"Change rooms," InuYasha turned to Kagome, who didn't even bother looking up from the different screens that she was trying to pass through.

"Mmhmm." She said, noncommittally. "This is first period P.E class. Didn't you know that?"

"What? I don't have gym clothes…" InuYasha said angrily, and Kagome smiled slyly at him, looking up for only a moment.

"Well, I'm sure you could use some of mine…"

InuYasha made a face of disgust, before flushing a bright red. "In your disturbing dreams..."

"Whatever…" she sighed, turning back to her task at hand. Which was, breaking into the principal's electronic day-timer, that was always connected to his computer, which in turn was connected to the main PC.

"…" InuYasha was silent for a moment after that, as he watched Kagome navigate her way through a series of windows, and into a password program.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his nose almost touching her arm as he leant in to see what she was doing.

"Trying to get into the principal's day-timer." Kagome responded, not thinking over what she was trying to do. What was InuYasha going to do about it? Or know anything about what she was trying to do?

The series of numbers was stumping her- as she knew that the principal had just changed it recently. But what on earth had he changed it to? She had already tried his birthday, his daughters birthday, and several other important dates and numbers. However, she couldn't think of what the proper set of six numbers could be.

"Try the date that the school was founded." InuYasha whispered, as his eyes scanned the window on her screen almost hungrily. Kagome paused in her typing for a moment, but thought about it. Yes, that was possible, wasn't it?

0… 7… /…0…9 /… 7… 8… -

Kagome watched as the cursor blinked furiously a few times, registering the numbers that she had just inputted. And then, a little light blinked green, and she was in.

Letting out a little sigh of relief, Kagome entered the little day-timer's list, and got down to work, scrolling through all of the principal's things on his schedule and to-do list.

"Jeez, this guy has a lot to do…" Kagome sighed, as InuYasha contented himself with throwing little smiles every girl who looked his way, while they then proceeded to have a giggle, a blush, and a fake fainting spell.

Kagome sighed as she shut down the program, having found what she wanted. InuYasha would be here for no more than a day, as the principal couldn't afford to have students disrupting his already busy schedule. She shut down her laptop, and slid it into her bag, just as her teacher walked back in, dismissing the substitute.

"Alright class, time to head for the change rooms!"

Everyone stood up from the seats, and Kagome was up and out the door before anyone could say anything. InuYasha, surprised at Kagome's sudden disappearance, was out the door shortly after she was, before the other girls of the class could catch up.

"Kagome!" InuYasha hissed, as the girl slowed to a stop in the hall ahead of him. "You're my guide, remember? Take me to the change rooms, or something!"

"It's not my fault that you can't keep up with me- that's what I'm doing." Kagome said over her shoulder, barely allowing InuYasha to catch up before she briskly continued on.

InuYasha decided that it would be best to silently fume, as he hurried along behind Kagome. "Why are you going so fast?"

Kagome stopped suddenly then, almost making InuYasha knock her over as he ran into her petit frame. He had grabbed her waist to steady himself, and couldn't help but notice how she fit so perfectly against him.

"InuYasha, I know you have some semblance of a brain in your head, so please bear with me and use it for a moment. We are going to gym class. Gym, for both genders, requires changing, into the standard little uniforms for the sports."

InuYasha nodded, and Kagome continued, feeling the movement against the back of her head. "Girls love you. Guys admire you. Which one of them wouldn't want to either see you in the standard uniform, or in the very same room, changing right beside the others?"

InuYasha winced, as Kagome pulled away from him. "Oh man."

Kagome grabbed his wrist, dragging him along behind her as she started walking again, faster than even before. "So, the best option is to change into something comfortable, before any of them get here." Kagome said, taking a sharp turn as she heard the squeals of the girls in her class, who were still trying to figure out where they went.

InuYasha then, decided that it would be best to take matters into his own hands. Scooping up Kagome with ease, he started jogging. "Kagome, take me to the change rooms? I just need directions."

Kagome nodded against his chest, and felt InuYasha pick up speed. He was going pretty fast, but managed to control the slipping and sliding as Kagome pointed him through the halls.

"Right!"

"Left!"

"Okay, stop here." Kagome said. "That should give you about five minutes before the others get here." _Damn, he runs fast. I swear no one saw us, as we dashed past!_ She thought to herself with a mad grin.

"Kagome, this is the girls change room!" InuYasha protested, his eyes narrowing angrily.

"Yeah, but both the guys and girls will be looking for you at the _guy's _change room, since you are a guy. If you can get changed and outside before anyone gets here, that you're safe, because the teacher is outside."

InuYasha thought about it for a moment, as Kagome pushed past him and walked through the door. "Besides. The change rooms are practically the same, anyhow!" _Except for the toilets- I hope InuYasha doesn't need the bathroom!_

InuYasha looked down both ends of the hallway, searching for any sign of living life. None. All clear. Sighing dejectedly, he followed Kagome through the door, only to see her standing in front of a mirror, already in the standard uniform. She was busy pulling her hair up into a high pony, so that it'd be safely out of the way.

"Are you planning on staring at me all day, or are you going to change before they get here?" Kagome said, angrily turning around.

InuYasha ducked his head meekly, and headed to a covered area so he could change into… something. Kagome tapped her foot impatiently for a moment, and watched the door. "Hurry!"

It was then that InuYasha popped from around the little wall again, wearing a wife beater and long black shorts. It was close enough to what the boy's uniform was anyhow, so no matter.

"Where should I put the rest of my clothes?" InuYasha said, pulling back his hair into a low ponytail, so that it rested on the back of his neck.

"Here, I'll put them in my locker." InuYasha tossed Kagome a plastic bag full of his stuff, and Kagome tossed it her locker, shutting the door with a clang. They could hear the girls talking and shouting impatiently as they approached, wondering where their dear Taisho-san could have gone.

Kagome quickly led InuYasha out the door, where they waited on the basketball court for Mr. Subito to arrive. "That was close." InuYasha sighed, as he slumped down onto a bench. Kagome eyed the basketballs, and ambled over to pick one up, just as her other classmates poured out of the change rooms.

* * *

The students, still waiting for Mr. Subito, took the time to their advantage, and crowded InuYasha, asking him all sorts of questions. Kagome lined herself up at the three point line, and took a shot. 

The satisfying _swish_ of the net reached her ears, as she grabbed the ball and lined up for another. _Swish._

Jump, shoot, _swish._

And again- jump, shoot, _swish._

Kagome lined herself up once again and jumped, shot- but with an almost resounding clang, the ball bounced back towards her. "What?"

"Poor Kagome." InuYasha had made it out of the crowd, and was standing where he had landed, in front of her. "I stuffed your shot- I hope you're not too mad…" he teased, watching as Kagome's face grew redder and she wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Betcha can't do it again!" Kagome said, responding to his barb, and taking it one step higher.

"Yeah?" InuYasha adopted a not too familiar grin on his face, and Kagome held back a smile. It'd been a while since someone was able to stuff her short in basketball- but then again, she hadn't been entirely prepared for InuYasha. Oh well, she was ready now.

Inuyasha took up a position in front of her, his knees bent and his hands at the ready. Kagome mimicked his position, but paused a moment before moving forward with the ball. She examined InuYasha's stance closely- for sometimes, it could give away a person's style, and intention.

Much to Kagome's silent dismay, InuYasha gave away nothing in his stance, but stood there somewhere in between relaxed and tense, waiting patiently for Kagome to make her move.

"Oi, hurry it up!" he said, his grin the opposite his words. Okay, so he wasn't that patient. She'd just have to teach him that patience was a virtue!

Kagome started forward, and made a dash past on his right. InuYasha went for the bait, and just as he reached out for the ball, Kagome faked and spun around over his back, going past on the left and watching in satisfaction as the ball _swished_ through the net.

Holding said ball on her hip, she looked triumphantly back in InuYasha's direction, a smug look on her face. "Don't give me that!" Inuyasha pointed a finger in her direction. "It's best two out of three." That said, he grabbed the ball from Kagome, and checked it to her as she moved into place at center court.

"You didn't say that before!" She protested, but continued as she had before. "You just can't except the fact that you were beaten by a girl!" Kagome teased, watching InuYasha's face redden in anger and embarrassment.

"Not true!" he growled.

"Oh, then is it because you're mad that you're not getting your way?" Kagome continued, watching as InuYasha sent a glare her way. InuYasha didn't respond to her barb this time, and Kagome smiled. She'd hit a sore spot!

InuYasha glared at Kagome for all he was worth. How was it that this girl knew how to push all of his buttons, despite the fact that she had known him for less than an hour? She was impossible- just like Shippo. However, he couldn't beat Kagome like he whacked Shippo, especially since he was at a school, of all places.

It was then that Kagome darted forward, faster than she had before. Girls were chanting 'Inu-Yasha! Inu-Yasha!', while the guys, who were jealous that all the attention was going to said person, had struck up a rant of 'Kago-meeee! Kago-meeee!'

Kagome prepared to fake right again, but was wary. It wasn't likely that she would be able to pull it off twice. InuYasha followed her, and as she spun, he matched her movements. Going so fast that she almost tripped over InuYasha's feet, she spun for a second time back to the right, where a waiting InuYasha expectantly grabbed the ball from her hands.

Chasing him down the court, Kagome jumped as he did, both hands soaring up toward the net. However, even though Kagome was easily capable of making the jump, InuYasha was taller than she was, and he went that much higher, sending the ball brushing over her fingertips, and swishing through the net.

InuYasha grinned cockily as Kagome checked the ball to him for the third time, and bounced it back and forth in her face, tauntingly. Kagome just stared, as he bounced it, following the ball with her eyes. What was he planning on doing?

Kagome moved slowly and uncertainly towards his, still following the ball with her eyes. That was when she saw it. Exactly where InuYasha was bouncing the ball, right in front of his left foot. He wasn't left handed (though she only could guess) which meant that he was going to fake right and attempt to go left.

Kagome's eyes traveled up his legs, and noted with a grin of triumph, that InuYasha was going to try to fake right. There wasn't much else that she could think of that he might be trying to do… so she was probably right.

"What are you grinning at, stupid?" InuYasha scoffed, and Kagome's eyes snapped back up to his face.

"Oh… nothing…" Kagome wiped the grin off her face, and narrowed her eyes as him. InuYasha snorted in response.

"It doesn't even matter. Because, you're going to… loose!" with InuYasha's final word, he did it. Faked right, and sidestepped left.

Kagome smiled as she followed his movements with lithe ones of her own, swinging around his side and snapping the ball away from him in mid bounce.

He stood there shocked for a moment, while Kagome took her opportunity to streak down the court with the basket ball, and jump towards the net for a dunk. However, InuYasha surprised her again by reaching towards her as she jumped.

Time seemed to slow as InuYasha advanced out of the corner of her eye, and Kagome began to panic.

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise, as InuYasha's hand streamlined past her face, towards the ball. He was trying to stuff her! Thinking fast, Kagome twisted her waist, looping the ball under InuYasha's arm and to her other one, pushing down the ball as she twisted backwards. She back-handed it into the net, and landed on the ground with a crouch, just as the ball and InuYasha made it to the ground.

Time sped up.

"Ha! In your face, InuYasha!" Kagome laughed triumphantly, while InuYasha crossed his arms and huffed nonchalantly.

"Feh. I was going easy on you, wench." He said, sticking his nose out in the air arrogantly. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have won."

If InuYasha was good at anything, it was lying. He was no where near as smooth as his older brother and father, but he wasn't going to lie and say he was bad at it._ And that's the truth… _he thought with a smirk.

Kagome probably would have beat him, fair or otherwise at least six times out of ten. Two _thirds_ of the time. How pathetic. He was jolted from his thoughts by Kagome knocking impatiently on his head.

"InuYasha? InuYasha, hello? Are you there? Cause if you aren't, you could at least put up a sign that says **'I'm out of my mind. Come back later.'**

"How funny Kagome." InuYasha said sarcastically, giving her an equally sarcastic smile. Except, it was more of a grimace.

"Yeah, yeah." Kagome waved it off. "But one more thing?"

InuYasha, who had been starting to walk back to the rest of the class who were on the other end of the court, stopped and turned around. "Yeah? What do you want now?"

"Don't call me wench!" Kagome brought her knee right into his stomach, causing he to double over in what she thought was more surprise than pain. His stomach had probably hurt her knee more than the damage her knee caused him!

As she was walking away pondering what the story of his stomach was, she tossed a comment over her shoulder with an airy wave of her hand. "My name is Kagome. Use it, or **_else_**!"

Smiling to herself, she decided that she'd just let that threat hang. Let his imagination fill in the blanks.

* * *

Class was standard, as far as standard was. A few simple drills here, some little basket-ball games like bump, and a few team drills. The rest of the period passed rather quickly, so that didn't matter. The boys and girls did the drills separately, until the end of the period when the teacher called the group together for teams. They'd have a tournament tomorrow.

* * *

The bell rang to dismiss first period, and the guys and girls headed exclusively to their change rooms. Kagome was brushing her hair, when she looked into her locker to find that InuYasha's stuff was still there, lying innocently at the bottom of her locker. Picking up the bundle and trying not to look guilty or suspicious, she headed back outside, where she last saw InuYasha. She wasn't even sure that he had gone into the change rooms… 

Looking around for a sign of the famous raven-haired boy, Kagome was distracted by a faint bleeping coming from her ear. "What the hell?" Kagome turned around, figuring that she'd see the source of the noise. But it moved with her.

Then it hit her… it was her silent car alarm! It was going off in her ear, just like it was supposed to. "Well, I'm glad it works…" she muttered, stuffing InuYasha's stuff into her bag, and slinging it and her laptop over her shoulder before rushing off to the parking lot.

Kagome rounded the last corner that separated her from the parking lot, and her precious baby '_Momma's coming for you!' _she cheered in her head. However, the sight that met her eyes made her gasp, and dash to hide behind the corner again.

* * *

InuYasha was standing in the parking lot, leaning half-heartedly against her car. Right across from it, was sparkling lavender viper, with a spiraling white dragon that twisted it's way along the driver's side door. 

It's driver was standing a few feet away from InuYasha. He was the strangest boy that Kagome had ever seen- with light lavender hair that was just a little longer than his shoulder, and eyes as black as the night. He was a little taller than InuYasha, and looked stunning in the black pants and white dress shirt that he was wearing. His pale complexion only added to his mysterious look, and Kagome found herself captured by his black eyes.

It was like they could see right through her, and yet as the same time, his eyes were burning holes in her. Kagome's eyes widened in realization as she realized that he was staring directly at her, his gaze never wavering.

She was too far away to hear anything that he or InuYasha was saying, but it didn't matter. She was entranced. His eyes… she couldn't help it. As she watched, his eyes flashed with something she couldn't describe, and he turned on his heel to move over to his car.

As he was poised to slip back into the driver's seat, he turned his head and glanced at her one last time and glanced at Kagome. She blushed a faint pink, and watched as he swung the door shut, and slipped on a pair of black sun glasses.

With a dull roar his viper came to life, and Kagome watched the tail lights, equally entranced, as they disappeared onto the main road that the school was situated on.

Kagome snapped out of her stupor, as InuYasha moved from his spot resting against her rear bumper. Turning around to examine the car that he had been resting on.

"Hey! Inu-baka! What are you doing my car! Stop molesting it!" Kagome yelled, gathering her courage and stomping over to a guilty looking InuYasha.

"Uh… um… Well, I-" InuYasha stuttered, grasping for something that he could say to cover up the situation. Then he stopped.

"Hey! How did you know I was here, anyhow? Have you been spying on me, or something?" he accused, pointing a finger in Kagome's general direction.

"No, idiot. My car has a silent alarm. Anything and everything will set it off, but depending on the type of alarm that I hear, I can tell the gravity of the thing that touched my car." Kagome explained, unlocking her car and dumping her stuff into the back seat. "Oh, and here's your clothes."

"Oh." InuYasha said, looking and probably feeling a little foolish. "And the car came with it?"

"No- I designed it. I put sensors under the body and in the paint when I made it." Kagome pet her car lovingly, and looked of into the distance with a smile. She was obviously remembering something pleasant.

InuYasha, however, was amazed. "You made this?"

"Yep!" Kagome said proudly. "Along with parts from some other cars, and old notes and inventions of my fathers…" she trailed off, thinking about how she'd made it.

"I gotta bring you to meet the guys! They'd be so amazed. What're you doing after school?" InuYasha asked, eyeing her car almost hungrily.

"Uh… I'm a little busy. But I have a spare right now, and since you're with me, so do you." Kagome said, offering her input a little brazenly. It was like she was saying _well duh, are you stupid?_

"Were you planning on doing anything?" InuYasha asked, moving over to the passenger door.

"I was just going to grab a cappuccino, and hit the library. I have an… uh… a project that I'm working on." Kagome said, scrambling for a word for what she was actually going to do.

"Well screw that," InuYasha said. "I'm going swimming with some friends. They love cars… you should come meet them! They'd love this car to death." He said, eyeing it once more before pulling at the car door impatiently.

"Uh… I don't have a suit."

"We've got some at the beach house that'd fit you…" InuYasha though out loud.

"Ugh! Fine! Then, will you leave me alone?" Kagome huffed, unlocking the door so InuYasha could slide in.

"Yes, yes. Of course!" InuYasha said, patting the gear shift impatiently, looking around the car with extreme emotions running rampage through his eyes.

"Here's my rules." Kagome snapped, shutting her door manually with a slam. InuYasha looked at her with a bored expression.

"Rule number one. Don't touch the stereo."

"Rule number two. Don't touch _anything_, for that matter, unless I say so."

"Rule number three. "No food and or drinks in the car, unless I let you. If you spill anything in here, you will be responsible for paying me the exact amount of a complete wash and clean, and detailing."

"Rule number four. What I say goes. Don't think that I can't eject you from your seat, and out of _my_ car." Kagome listed them off, and ticked them on her fingers. "Okay?"

"Yeah, whatever! Just start the car! I want to feel how she runs!" InuYasha said, clearly impatient. Kagome grinned as she turned the key in the ignition, and closed her eyes as she felt the car rumble to life beneath her. _This is just so great…_ she thought with a sigh, before snapping her eyes open to grin maniacally at InuYasha.

"What?" he asked, looking curiously at Kagome.

Kagome's grin broadened. "I hope you don't get car sick…"

InuYasha gulped as Kagome flicked the car into reverse, and did a reverse K turn, and sped out of the parking lot, barely slowing for the stop sign. _Oh shit…_

**To Be Continued...**

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**A/N:** Well, there's the chapter. Is it long enough? Too short? give me your comments, and words of wisdom. I want to hear from you guys! Okay, you liked it. But what about it? So you didn't like it. But why? Chapter dedication to the reviewer whose the most descriptive!

Next chapter, Kagome meets most of the guys from the prologue. In case you were curious... and the lavender haired guy? I'll give you three guesses... but it's really not that hard.

Ten reviews will guarantee that the next chapter is posted in three weeks as the maximum! So please take a couple seconds and tell me what you think!

Until next time,

**ancient-relic**


	4. Swimming

**A/N:** I'm really sorry that this took so long to get up. Really, I am. I was going to make it longer, but then when I double checked the length, I found that it was like, 16 pages. So, I decided to stop where it was, and hope you guys would forgive me for taking so long. I hope the length makes up for it. Please enjoy, and be sure to tell me what you think!

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**Disclaimer:** I'm positive that I don't own and of the things that will be mentioned later on in this chapter. And I'm pretty sure some of the things that I've mentioned don't exsit, either... but be assured that if they did, I wouldn't own them, either.

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**Summary:** A.U Kagome, just like her missing father, is a genius. Racing was in his blood, and it's in hers too. In meeting InuYasha, new roads are opened up to her. But does Kagome really like where they're headed?

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**Last Chapter:** Kagome gets stuck with InuYasha for the day. And it starts with breaking into the principal's computer system to see how much longer a certain nusciance is going to be hanging around. Gym is the first period of the day, and InuYasha's run into a problem already. He's got a crazy crowd of girls and boys alike hunting him down... and he hasn't changed into gym clothes yet! Kagome whisks him through the girls' changeroom, and they play a little basketball while waiting for everyone else.

Later on, after class is over, Kagome spies InuYasha talking to a mysterious purple haired man in front of her car, and is nearly caught. Who was he? Kagome is curious. She is more curious however, when InuYasha invites her swimming during her spare period to meet some of his friends.

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**Placing First**

**Chapter Three- Swimming**

**By ancient-relic**

Kagome grinned manically as InuYasha gripped his seatbelt like a lifeline. Seeing the turnoff that InuYasha had indicated earlier, she pulled the hand brake, and pushed on the gas.

With a mighty swerve, Kagome and InuYasha swung around the corner, tires screeching along the ash fault.

"What the hell are you trying to do, Kagome? Kill me?" InuYasha grit out, watching as Kagome laughed some more, breezing through an intersection just as the light turned yellow.

"Ah… I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Am I going too fast for you?" Kagome asked with a false sweetness, batting her eyelashes at him.

"YES!" InuYasha roared.

Kagome quickly flicked on her blinker, and swerved to the shoulder, coming to so quick a halt, InuYasha almost smacked his head on the dashboard.

His hat flew off his head, coming limply to a rest at his feet. "Jeez, woman! You're worse than my brother!!" InuYasha huffed, replacing his hat, and turning to glare.

"Well, sorr-y!" Kagome huffed, pulling back onto the road smoothly. Integrating herself back into traffic, Kagome was silent.

InuYasha was silent too. Kagome kept her eyes on the road, moving only to press various buttons on the dashboard that InuYasha didn't recognize.

Then, Kagome's hand danced over to the only thing that InuYasha did recognize- the radio console. Flicking the power button, Kagome expertly tuned the radio so that it was blasting some American song that he didn't know. However, Kagome did, and was soon bobbing her head along with the music, and cranked up the bass.

A heavy rhythm flowed through the speakers at InuYasha's feet, and he could feel the music as his pants vibrated most annoyingly against his legs.

"Could you turn that down?" he asked, scratching his leg irritably.

"Nope." Kagome said, changing lanes again so that she could take the off ramp to the beach front homes.

"…" InuYasha studied her for a moment, watching as she expertly maneuvered the car through traffic, and onto the empty beach roads.

Reaching out a hand, he slowly snuck it towards the radio power button, keeping a careful eye on Kagome. She had said not to touch the radio…

Kagome pulled up to the house that InuYasha had told her about, and abruptly flicked on the brakes, spinning them about in a circle. InuYasha snatched his hand back immediately, and instead relocated it to keeping his hat on his head.

The squeal of tires had brought all of his friends out, just in time to see a car come rumbling to a stand still, right in between two others- Sango's, and Sesshomaru's.

Moments later, loud voices were heard from the inside of the car. They were a little muffled, but everyone could tell that it was InuYasha's, and another girl's.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH ANYTHING!!"

"I THOUGHT THAT I ASKED YOU TO TURN DOWN THAT STUPID MUSIC!"

"IT'S MY CAR, JACK-ASS! I'LL DO AS I PLEASE!"

"I DIDN'T HAVE TO BRING YOU HERE, YOU KNOW!"

"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO NEEDED THE GODDAMN RIDE! I HAVE BETTER THINGS THAT I COULD BE DOING RIGHT NOW, AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"GOOD GOD, GIRL! HAVN'T YOU EVER HEAR THE EXPRESSION 'DON'T BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU?!'"

"HAVN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY? WHY DON'T YOU JUST TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE!?"

A whirring sound was heard, and a hatch that looked a lot like a giant sunroof opened at the top of the car.

Then, a squeal of gears, and one flying InuYasha- who tumbled to a stop some feet away, face buried in sand, hat blown away on the crisp ocean breeze.

Then, there was another whirring sound, this time softer, as the car put itself back together, and the soft rumble of the engine stopped. The driver-side door swung open, revealing the lithe figure of Kagome, stepping out with a disgruntled face on.

"Wow! That was amazing!" clapping reached her ears, and Kagome looked up to see her audience clapping energetically at her display.

Kagome blushed a faint pink, grabbing her messenger bag that had her laptop in it, before walking towards them.

A simple press of a button closed the car door, and then locked the car soundlessly. Tucking her keys away, and placing her sunglasses on the top of her head, Kagome scaled the few steps to the landing, and looked at the assembled group before her.

"Err… My name is Kagome Higurashi. InuYasha over there-" she watched with a grin as he spat mouthful after mouthful of sand out "- needed a ride, so he invited me to come swimming?"

"Ah, yes. We were informed of this." A young man with stunning violet eyes stepped forward, bowing deeply and placing a chaste kiss on Kagome's hand. "My name is Miroku Hoshigawa, at you service."

Kagome blushed prettily, and raised a hand to her face. However, it's only use was to hide her smirk as a chestnut-haired woman promptly came up behind him and whacked him in the head.

"Sorry about him," the girl apologized. "Miroku's the biggest lech in history. He acts charming…" Kagome laughed nervously as she let the sentence hang. "Well, you get the idea. My name is Sango Takahashi. It's really nice to meet you, Kagome-san."

"Oh! Uh, please just call me Kagome, Sango-san." Kagome corrected. She really didn't care about the formalities- if anything, they made her uncomfortable.

"Only if the same applies to you, okay Kagome-chan?" Sango smiled, her cinnamon eyes glowing as she did so.

"Of course," Kagome nodded, and gave a little bow.

"Hey, hey! Down here, here!" A little hand tugged on Kagome's bag, and Kagome looked down to a head of bright orange hair.

"Hi! My name is Shippo. Shippo Keisuke! It's nice to meet you, Kagome!" Shippo said enthusiastically, his little orange ponytail bobbing along with his head.

"It's nice to meet you too, Shippo-chan," Kagome said, a smile on her face. His bright green eyes were so introspective, and they accented his fierce orange hair easily.

Shippo sent another dazzling smile in her direction, before respectively stepping back to let the last person step forward. Kagome's breath was taken away, as her eyes met those of the person who strode to meet her.

Long silver hair, that swayed tantalizingly right down past his hips, framed a stunning pair of amber eyes that seemed to bore holes right through her head. Kagome felt like she was frozen… drowning in the icy depths of his eyes. And then-

"Oi, Sesshomaru! What're you doing to Kagome? Leave her alone, you bastard!" InuYasha shouted, his mouth seemingly free of sand.

"I can see why you brought her back here, InuYasha." Sesshomaru said, turning his frigid stare to InuYasha, who had succeeded in rescuing his hat from a sand dune. Walking over, InuYasha decided that it would be best just to scoff.

"Keh. That's not the reason at all, you bastard!" InuYasha said, a smirk stretching its way across his face. "Just look at her car!"

Sesshomaru did just that, dragging his eyes lazily across Kagome's face, and to her car. He stared for what seemed like an eternity, eyes roving over every aspect of the car- from the colour, to the rims, the tinted windows, and what limited detail that he could see of the interior.

"I would like to see the inside for myself." Sesshomaru said, though it was more of an order than a question.

"Kagome, give him a ride!" InuYasha said, his grin stretching even wider across his face.

"Ooh! Can I come? Please? Pretty please, Kagome?" Shippo said, his eyes widening in excitement.

"Well, uh…" Kagome was a little stunned. He wanted a ride?

"We'll come too. InuYasha can get everything ready in the house." Sango said, grabbing Miroku's hand, and dragging him towards the car. Shippo bounded happily after them, followed by the cool, composed stride of Sesshomaru.

Sending a glare at InuYasha, Kagome walked off after them, handing her laptop to him. "Don't open it, and don't drop it." Kagome said, before turning on her heel, and walking towards her car.

Everyone else was standing expectantly around it, waiting for Kagome. Pressing a little button on her keychain, the doors opened with a little burst of pressurized air, and a quiet ooh passed everyone's mouth (with an exception of Sesshomaru.).

"You can open them now. I've already put the chairs back- Shippo-chan can sit in the middle." Kagome said. "Sesshomaru's in the passenger seat."

Sure enough, the people moved as directed. Sango slid into the back seat with a sigh, seemingly enjoying the nice feeling of the (relatively) new leather. Shippo crawled in right behind her- Kagome watched as Sango kicked Miroku out of the way- grinning in childish glee at the sparkling new interior.

"Hey, Kagome, can I press this button?!" Shippo chortled, pointing to a rather drab looking button that was situated on the console down by the driver's knees.

"NO!" Kagome shouted, shocking Shippo so much that he went flying back into the plush seats.

"Why can't he, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, watching warily as Miroku was finally allowed to clamber into the car.

"Well, it'd send Sesshomaru flying." Kagome said bluntly, sending a glance to the stoic beauty that was sitting patiently in the front seat of her car, sending intrigued glances at all the various buttons that littered the dashboard.

"Ah. Well…" Kagome righted the chair, and crawled into the driver's seat, and started the engine. Kagome closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling of her creation coming to life beneath her, and she sat like that until a polite _ahem_ caused her to snap her eyes open.

"Oh. Right- and now…" Kagome had the decency to blush a little in embarrassment, but swiftly pulled out of the driveway with a sharp veer. The rest of the car was silent as Kagome preformed a simple 'V' turn. Then, Kagome drove moderately down the street, pausing at the intersection when Sesshomaru spoke up.

"I did not come to see you drive like Miroku's grandfather." He said, watching through Kagome's rear-view mirror as Sango bopped him in the head, effectively stopping his comeback.

Kagome turned to look at him, letting the car sit there in neutral for a moment. Sesshomaru watched with a stoic version of bemused on his face as her expression rapidly changed from confusion, to a maniac grin that he was so used to seeing on his father's face.

"Is there a long stretch of road with no other people nearby?" Kagome countered, grin stretching wider as Sesshomaru nodded and pointed to the right.

"It runs right along the beach. It used to be a boardwalk, but since not many people live around here anymore, it's been deserted." He said, as Kagome turned to the right.

"All right then." Kagome said, smiling to her new friends in the back seat with her mirror again.

"What are you planning on doing, Kagome?" Miroku asked, looking at the strange girl in the front seat warily.

"Oh… showing you some of the awesome features that I put on this baby…" Kagome said, swinging onto the stretch of road that Sesshomaru had indicated.

"You made this, Kagome?!" Shippo exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

"Yep!" Kagome said proudly, "I did use other parts, but I modified absolutely everything. Except the radio and speakers- I bought them off a guy at school, already tricked out to accommodate the bass."

"Bass?"

"Oh. Right… like this." Kagome flicked on the radio, and a loud American song came on, the heavy rhythm pounding through the speakers, sending tremors running through the car.

"COOL!" Shippo crowed, searching for the speakers that were hidden in the back seat. However, his search was cut short when Kagome turned off the music.

"Too loud…" she muttered, and turned to Sesshomaru. "First, I suppose I'll show you the acceleration rates and my braking system. Or demonstrate, anyhow." Kagome said, not waiting to hear anything from Sesshomaru.

Flicking a small black switch on the steering wheel, Kagome toggled the gears that would send her out of neutral and into drive. Good- it was loose and ready- so that it was able to move as fast as possible from reverse to park to drive and back again.

Checking the engine RPM, she grinned. All ready to go… checking a few other things on some of the gauges that were surrounding the steering wheel, Kagome turned to the three in the back.

"You guys like roller coasters?" she questioned, watching them stare blankly at the question. "Just answer. Don't question…"

With a chorus of yeses, Kagome turned to Sesshomaru. He just raised a delicate eyebrow, as if to say, 'it doesn't matter in the end, but do you really need to ask?' and in response, Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "I did ask- remember that if you ever take what it about to happen into court.

"What? Why would we take this to court, Kago-" Miroku was cut off as Kagome abruptly accelerated, going from a stand still to over seventy kilometers an hour in a matter of seconds.

"HOLY SHIT!"

Kagome grinned, and shifted to flick another switch, this time on the left of the steering wheel. Her windshield instantly lit up with a blue-green light, and all other window darkened, like sunlight-reactive lenses.

Then, several little diagrams displayed themselves on the windshield, just like a computer monitor. The windshield went dark too- enough so that the light up pictures. There was her gas gauge, her RPM gauge, the speedometer, and several other little things that I, the author, do not know the names of.

Four different windows popped up- showing different views of the speeding car. There was one for either side of the car, and the little cameras that were transferring the images were most likely in the side-view mirrors. Another was of the underside of the car, showing the ground that it drove on, and the inner workings of some of the visible part- like the spinning of the axels and whatnot. The last and largest (around which the gauges were spread) was the one that showed where the car was headed- just like what one would have seen looking out the windshield of a regular car.

"Amazing!" Sango breathed. A scribbling sound told Kagome that Shippo was frantically scribbling down notes, and judging by the lack of Miroku's comment, Kagome had to guess that his mouth was hanging wide open.

"You, girl." Sesshomaru spoke up, and Kagome almost jumped.

"Yes?"

"You did this your self?" Kagome nodded. "How?"

"It was something that I had always thought about, but I could never actually get the hang of wiring. I had been trying to make up my own program and setting… until I though of a much easier solution. I just took the touch screen monitor feature from a touch screen monitor, the display features from a projector, and little bits and pieces of things from a couple of other monitor-type devices. Then, I meshed them together so that they could all work in tandem to display all these different features."

"Wow! Kagome, you're my idol!" Shippo cheered, his paper quickly filling with his illegible scribble.

Kagome smiled, and continued. "Theoretically, we shouldn't even be able to see the glowing information… but I did some research on those new glasses that they've got- the ones that turn into sunglasses with sunlight? I figured out how the sun sets off certain molecular changes in the glass, and I just changed it so that the change was controlled not by sunlight, but by a switch. I also had to add some of my own pigment, so that they'd go dark enough. Science class was never so fun!

I placed the cameras all under layers, with no more than pinholes so that they'd work. They were really hard to get my hands on, but I've got a really rich stepfather. From there, I was just hooking up the different displays to the new program that I meshed together, so that they would all show on the darkened screen." Kagome finished, flicking off the display. "It was really something that I just wanted to make for myself. A childhood dream, you know?"

Coming to the end of the road, Kagome hadn't realized that she'd been talking for so long. But she had slowed down after the initial rocket-launch, so she stopped and turned the car around.

"A lot of it too, was modeled after my father's research- I've got to give him some credit. Same with the brake system- he designed it, I tuned it! We're partners, even though I haven't seen him in years."

Kagome was silent, as the car sat there, humming. And then, she sped off, a determined look in her eyes. Pressing another button, Kagome quickly toggled the hand brake, and allowed the car to spin, before stopping it completely and continuing on, picking up speed.

The thought of her father always brought up mixed emotions- and all of these attacked her again with a fury that she had not felt in a long time. She did her best not to bring up her past- and so, if and whenever it caught up with her, it was that much harder to bear.

**"_You have now passed 100 km/h."_** an automated voice said, surprising everyone but Kagome. She was off in her own little world…

Up ahead, the road opened up into what was supposed to have been a double row parking area- but it too was deserted. Again, with a series of taps to the break, Kagome let the tires squeal as they drifted in a wide arc along the pavement, stopping and changing several times, going into opposite directions.

It was smooth and bumpy at the same time, with all of the sudden direction changes. However, that was not to be contributed to Kagome car- it was still running smoothly, despite the friction and speeds that it was currently being exposed to.

Sesshomaru sat silently, as Kagome expertly swung the car in a series of 360 degree turns, and 180 degree turns, until it swung back onto the road, leaving twisting skid marks in its wake.

Then,** _"You have now passed 150 km/h."_** the automated voice sounded again, as if Kagome really _wasn't_ trying to kill her four passengers.

Kagome continued to pick up speed, though she leveled out as the car reached 170 km/h. And then, it was clear that the road was rapidly ending. They were running out of room- and Kagome showed no signs of stopping!

"Kagome, what are you doing? We're going to go right off the cliff if you don't stop!!" Shippo cried. It was not a complete lie- the road banks sharply left, where it melded back with the other roads of the beach houses. The rest was all dunes and cliff, right out to the ocean.

Kagome paid him little to no attention, her eyes narrowing as she closed in on 100 yards left of road. And suddenly… she pressed a little button by the hand gear, and twisted it like a stick shift, as it she was moving it into a different level of braking. Then, the car began to slow. Her foot shifted from the gas to the brake pedal, and Kagome pulled another little handle that was coming off the steering wheel at an angle, closer to her right foot.

Again, the car slowed. Still, it was not enough! They were still going over 70km/h! "Kaaaagooomeee! I'm too young to diiiieee!" Shippo wailed, clinging to Miroku like a baby. Kagome grinned then, pressing her left foot down on something that Sesshomaru guessed to be a third pedal, most likely for braking as well. The car stopped at an almost violent pace, minus the head splitting whiplash.

Miroku and Shippo sighed one of relief, while Sango giggled insanely. Kagome turned to look at Sesshomaru, who looked at her strangely, before he cracked the barest of smiles.

"I think I like this car. We should do that more often, from now on." He said, turning to roll down the window.

Kagome turned off some of the brake and speed settings that she had turned on, and headed back for the house. Calmly, and in a civilized manner… Don't worry- the author doesn't plan on killing of the inhabitants of the car… yet?

_I can really tell why InuYasha brought her back- she's just so much like her…_ thought Sesshomaru._ I just hope he realizes what he's getting into…_

Everyone clambered out of the car as Kagome moved the seats for them. Then, with a few more buttons pressed, she was done, and the car was locked.

Following the other four into the house, Kagome found herself lost in her own thoughts. Who had she been trying to impress?

No one, really.

What had she been trying to prove? That one, Kagome couldn't answer. Things that she pushed away- those memories and feelings that she tried to forget… it was amazing how just anyone, even without _knowing_ her could bring them up- and send her into a whirlwind of forgotten thoughts, emotions, and pain.

* * *

A nagging voice brought Kagome out of her thoughts. "KAGOME! Are you even listening, wench?" InuYasha said, his breath hot against her face. That's how close he was… 

"Don't call me a wench, you man-whore."

" " "MAN-WHORE?" " "

"No! That's… what a… it's a frigging lie, you guys!!" InuYasha spluttered, his face going pink in embarrassment.

"InuYasha! When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me? I could have at least helped you in the other direction… but this is too far!" Miroku dramatized, watching as InuYasha began to fume.

"To think I've let you in my car!" Sango wailed, rubbing at her arms like she was dirty.

"I wouldn't even have expected that from you, brother." Sesshomaru said, clear disgust clearly written in his tone and on his face.

"What's a man-whore?" Shippo asked, looking expectantly at the… _adults_ that surrounded him.

"Well you see, Shippo… It's a person who-" Sango cut Miroku off abruptly with a particularly violent whack to the back of his head.

**"Don't go there, Miroku."** She warned, sending him a dark glare. Miroku shivered unintentionally.

"Ah, ah… Shippo, you'll find out when you're older." Miroku covered, looking warily at Sango. He took a step further away.

"Anyhow, before Kagome insulted my gender," InuYasha said, while Kagome snickered in the background, "I was going to give her a bathing suit. I did invite her here for swimming…"

"Oh yes!" Sango clapped her hands together in a very childish motion. "Let, Kagome! The water will be warm right about now…"

"The ocean is always cold, Sango." Kagome said, frowning at the older girl.

"Kagome, we're not swimming in the ocean, it'll be in the pool!" Shippo said, drawing the curtains off a large window, showing a sparkling blue-green pool, complete with a slide and a diving board.

Kagome's eyes widened, taking in the sparkling green clarity of the pool. It was the weirdest shape that she had ever seen- twisting this way and that, under a bridge, around stepping stones and an outcropping that held the slide, right into the deep end. Towards her, where the shallow end was, it spread out into a wide circle, a walk in area off to one side, with the stairs on the other. Right beside the walk in, off on an angle of the large sloping shallow area, was an area that a bar attached to, sitting right on the edge of the pool. The stools were in the water!

"Oh wow, guys!! This is just amazing!" Kagome crooned, staring at the sparkling delight that was begging to be jumped into. Her earpiece beeping into her ear alerted her of the time, the same automated voice as in the car telling her the speed that she was traveling at. **"Y_ou have forty-five minutes until you must leave for school from your current location."_**

Kagome's eyes snapped to a random clock that she saw hanging from the wall, and found this information to be true. "All right then!" she said, smacking a fist into her other hand. "Then let's get going! There's no time to waste, is there?"

Sango ushered Shippo into a hallway- presumably to change. Kagome turned to InuYasha then- Sesshomaru and Miroku had already disappeared.

"What am I supposed to wear?" Kagome said, placing her hands on her hips in an irritable gesture. "It's not like I carry bathing suits around with me everywhere…"

"I told you, didn't I?" InuYasha said, beckoning her to him with a lazy flip of his hand as he walked in another direction, out of the main sitting area.

"I've got some of Ki-" InuYasha stopped, catching himself before he completed the name. "…of a friend's old stuff, that should fit you fine." He finished lamely, pointing through a shoji door into a pale yellow room with an abandoned futon. It appeared to be a guest room…

Kagome stepped into the guest room, reining in a sneeze. Whoever had previously occupied the room had loved perfume… she could still smell the intoxicating scent of it.

"Whe-" Kagome stopped, and sneezed. "Excuse me. Where are they?" Kagome asked, looking around the room. However, she turned back to the door only to find that InuYasha had disappeared, leaving her to her own devices.

"Baka," Kagome muttered under her breath, walking towards the window, pulling aside the dark blinds.

Bright light streamlined into the room, filling it with a much more cheerful aura. The yellow made the room glow- and a pleasant feeling filled Kagome. All of a sudden, she felt giddy.

Sighing in satisfaction, Kagome found the closet, and pulled it open swiftly. The strong smell of perfume was strongest here- a bottle appeared to have smashed, and an old rag had soaked it up. Kagome bent down to pick up the saturated rag, but hesitated as a wave of nausea washed over her. How had a bottle of perfume broken? And right on a rag, no less. As soon as her hand touched the cloth, her mind blanked.

* * *

-o- -o- Flashback -o- -o- 

"_What do you mean, you didn't find anything?" a man growled, his dark eyes flashing. He spun around, sending his fist flying into a mirror that was sitting on a little bedside table._

_The other occupant of the room- a young girl, who looked to be no older than Kagome– turned her soulful brown eyes to the little shards of her favourite mirror- the one that InuYasha had bought her. _

_Blood stained several of the shards… and several droplets of blood splattered onto the floor._

"_That's exactly what I mean. It's bad enough that I'm doing double duty for you, think about it Naraku. I can't do anything too obvious right now. They already suspect something, what with the accident at the mall!" the woman explained, sorrow and anger lacing into her voice._

"_I don't need a useless spy. The next time I come, you had better have more information on the next move that InuTaisho is going to make. Do I make myself clear?" Naraku hissed, roughly grabbing the young woman's shoulder and slamming her into the wall behind her- the door of her closet._

_A faint shattering sound was heard, masked by the closed door. Brown eyes met black in a mighty clash of the wills- but the young woman backed down. There was nothing more she could do- not without drawing the attention of the other occupants of the house._

"_Yes, Naraku-sama." She said obediently. _

_Naraku smiled a wicked grin, his teeth flashing in the dim light of the room. "That's a good girl…" he stroked her face gently. "You know what to do. I'll have Kagura contact you, should anything new arise."_

_With that, he turned on his heel, and disappeared at the window in a brief swirl of the dark curtains. _

_Turning to the closet, the dark haired girl extended a pale hand, and opened the door. Looking down at the ground, she saw her favourite perfume bottle sitting there, its content spreading farther and farther away from the remnants of the bottle. Sighing, the woman dropped a small rag onto the mess, and abruptly shut the door to the closet with a snap._

-o- -o- End Flashback –o- -o-

* * *

Kagome withdrew her hand almost instantly from the little rag, looking at it with a vacant expression. What had that been all about? Who was that man- Naraku? Who was the woman? Was she the one that had lived in this room previous to her? She had never gotten a good look at her face… was it Sango? 

No… Sango had a healthy tan. The girl in her vision was too pale for that…

Pushing all those thoughts from her mind, Kagome remembered that her friends were waiting. Standing up, she looked into the depths of the closet. In a little box, sitting open at the back corner, were a few bathing suits, two bikinis, and a full piece.

Taking out all three articles to examine them, Kagome eyed them critically. One of them was… to put it bluntly, too big. Whoever had worn them before her, had either stretched it out, or… was at least one cup size too big. Kagome pushed it away, a little disgusted by that last thought.

The other, the one piece, was nice enough… and it looked to be just her size. However, it was obviously worn, with spots of torn fabric, showing that it was indeed old.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the last one… it hadn't been worn. The tags were still attached to the two pieces- a surefire sigh of its newness.

It was a hunter green string bikini, with white flowers printed randomly onto the fabric. Sighing to herself, Kagome looked down at her other options. Yup- this was it.

"I really want to go swimming…" Kagome groaned, looking at the skimpy piece of material that she held in her hands.

Grabbing the other two suits, she moved to toss them back into the closed, when she saw a little pair of dark green shorts, made of some weird kind of mesh.

"Aha! Perfect!!" Kagome cheered, grabbing them. The more cloth the better… right? In a matter of moments, Kagome had slipped into the suit, folding her clothes and placing them lightly on a little table.

Just about to walk away, Kagome stopped, and looked back at the table. Familiar…

Looking down to the ground, Kagome's eyes widened at the deeper brown that barely stood out against the brown of the floor. _Blood…_ Kagome wasn't sure what to think about the vision that she had… but the pool was calling her, so she quickly focused her mind on the fun that awaited her. _Oh yeah- Water slide? Here I come!!_

**To Be Continued…**

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**A/N: **Okay. So there you have it. Not so much 'swimming' as the title entails, but that's what everything was leading to... and... whatever.

Drop me a line, and let me know what you thought of that chapter. You all know the deal.

I'll be looking forward to hear what you all have to say, so don't keep me waiting!

Until next time,

**ancient-relic**


	5. The Garage Gang

**A/N: **Okay. I bet you're all totally hating me, cause this not-so-great chapter took so very long. Though I do have a good reason, (I accidentally deleted Microsoft Office) I must apologise. Please bear with meeeeee!

Oh, and enjoy the chapter, too.

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**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything mentioned in this story. Not even the cool safety goggles that I don't bother to describe in detail...

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**Placing First**

**Chapter Four- The Garage Gang**

**By ancient-relic**

Kagome slid through the narrow opening that she had made in the sliding glass door, and stepped onto the sun-warmed patio. The tile was cool on her bare feet, so the warm stones were a nice change.

Sango looked up from her lounge chair, where she had been reading a magazine through a pair of deep pink sunglasses. Lifting them us, she grinned at Kagome.

"So you're finally ready, then?" she looked at Kagome, who was holding her towel tightly shut around her. The sun was quickly warming her, but she didn't remove the towel.

"Great!! Hurry up, and come on in, Kagome!!" Shippo cheered. Kagome looked into the shimmering azure depths of the pool, and saw Shippo floating merrily in a huge inner tube. It made him look much smaller than he actually was… and Kagome could picture him as a child, with the same, wide, toothy grin.

"Were are the guys?" Kagome asked, her head darting around frantically, looking for Miroku. Sango laughed at her antics.

"Sesshomaru wanted to talk to them about something before they came out. He said that they wouldn't be too long. But I don't suggest waiting for them- you're running out of time, as it is, correct?" Sango replied, placing her magazine down and rising from the lounge chair.

Kagome watched as Sango stretched her long, tanned limbs. Her body was something that most girls she knew would practically kill for… and they did just that, by starving and dieting. Kagome knew she was lucky to have her unusually high metabolism.

Sango was wearing a halter-style bikini, which was black with a thick pink line going vertically up her left side. Her hair was loose, flowing neatly down to mid-back and glowing a healthy brown in the sunlight.

"My, my, Sango. Aren't you looking beautiful, as usual." A grinning voice came fro behind Kagome, nearly causing her to topple right into the pool. It was Miroku, who had donned a simple pair of swim trunks. They were a strange mix of blue and purple, changing colours depending on which way that you looked at them.

And of course, as soon as Kagome noticed his strange shorts, she noticed the rest of him, too. His white towel was folded neatly over his arm, and it did nothing to stop her wandering eye. He looked like he worked out daily, with a toned chest, and equally toned arms. He also sported a healthy tan, which set off his strange purple eyes.

Sango glared at Miroku. "What are you talking about, you lech?" Sango growled, and Kagome turned back to her. Her face was flushed a faint pink, but the sun was shining though her pink glasses, so Kagome wasn't totally sure of the colours origin.

"Oh, my beautiful Sango," Miroku began, but was cut off abruptly with a sharp squeak of a rubber ducky. Sango looked surprised, and all three of them turned to Shippo, who was frowning from his spot in the inner tube, looking rather peculiar with another duck in his hand.

"Stop it! I want to swim with Kagome before she has to leave, you know!!" Kagome grinned at the little boy. She liked him already, and she had barely known him for five minutes!!

Kagome looked at her towel, and drew in a deep breath. Normally, she wasn't that self-conscious. However, she had just met these people, and she was at the beach house of the famous InuYasha Taisho. With a quick count of three, she dropped the towel, and cannonballed into the deep end with a shriek at the cold water.

Miroku grinned at Sango, dropping his towel next to Kagome's. Sango stared at him in confusion, but back up as he stepped forward, matching him step for step. She stopped as she felt her heel touch the edge of the pool, and instantly realized what he was going to do. Now, she was cornered.

"Don't you dare, you little-" she startled, but her words turned into a garbled scream when Miroku tackled her into the water. Shippo bobbed along happily in his tube, riding the waves that the bigger people had made. It was different not really having friends his age, but it was nice to have Miroku, Sango, and now Kagome. They were his friends. And they were enough.

* * *

InuYasha glared at Sesshomaru, who rested easily on a bar stool in the kitchen. How could he be so easy about this? So… calm?

"There is no way in hell." He repeated stubbornly, turning his back to his older brother. "And you can't make me."

Sesshomaru let out a silent sigh, and stood from his position on the stool. Were younger siblings always this difficult? He guessed so… though his brother had always seemed rather incompetent, but he wasn't sure whether it was gene-related, or he was just retarded.

"You are going to do this, InuYasha." Sesshomaru said again, calmly. However, only his eyes betrayed his frustration, promising his younger sibling pain if he did not agree. "She is a _Higurashi_. We must do this, for father. And for us… before Naraku sniffs her, and her talents out. Think of what we might accomplish with her on our side!"

Sesshomaru moved to stand in front of the window, watching at the young girl cut through the pool with sharp, graceful strokes. Shippo, Sango and Miroku watched her from the shallow end, applauding her breast-stroke.

"There is no was that we can ignore this."

"But what about-"

"Don't bring Kikyo into this. There is no way that she's coming back. Face it. She was a traitor. She was a spy. And I have reason to believe that she conducted information sessions in this very house, right under our noses." Sesshomaru replied sharply, turning from the window.

InuYasha looked a bit dejected, but nodded. There was a slim chance of him being able to go against his brother, but even less of a chance of him being able to go against his father. And though Sesshomaru had a very valid point, there was no way in heaven, hell or on earth that he was going to do this, and like it. Or do it willingly, for that matter.

* * *

Kagome sighed as she clambered out of the water, shivering as a breeze touched her hair. She had stayed in the water too long… and was sure to be late for auto if she didn't hurry back.

"Where is InuYasha?" she asked, toweling her hair off, and twisting it into a hasty French braid. The rest of her seemed dry enough.

"Here." Sango tossed her a bag, and a white shirt. "Your clothes. You won't have time to change… you can wear this shirt over the suit, though."

"It's not mine!" Kagome protested. Suddenly being late didn't seem too bad. How could she show up to auto in a swimsuit?

"Keep it." Came a gruff voice, from behind her. It was InuYasha. Kagome eeped, and tugged the white shirt over her head. Now, it only looked like she was wearing a partially see-though shirt and tiny short-shorts. What would the guys think of her?

A sudden beeping from her ear-piece startled her. She had about fifteen minutes to get back to school, or risk missing second bell. "Come on!" Kagome cried, grabbing InuYasha, and dashing back into the house. InuYasha didn't protest, but allowed Kagome to pull him through the house.

"Go outside!! I'll be right there." Kagome said, looking for her shoes. InuYasha silently did as he was told, but Kagome didn't have time to think twice about it.

Suddenly ran into a hard body, and nearly fell, if it weren't for the quick arm that snaked out to catch her. Looking up, she met the strange amber eyes of InuYasha's older brother, Sesshomaru Taisho.

He smiled lightly, making Kagome bright pink. She might not go for people like InuYasha, but Sesshomaru was a different story. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen a prettier boy… or girl.

"Here. You'll be late, Kagome-kun." He said, his voice rolling like velvet thunder. Kagome took her shoes and her bag, as he extended them to her. She practically tripped through a hasty bow, and rushed for the door without saying a word. She didn't trust her mouth.

InuYasha was waiting beside her car, his arms crossed and his eyebrows creased in a frown. Kagome didn't comment on it, but clicked her tag to unlock the car, InuYasha opened the door and buckled himself in mechanically.

"I didn't do that, did I?" Kagome asked, as she slid into the drivers seat.

"Do what?" he asked, directing his stare at her. It rapidly changed from troubled to confused.

"Put you in this mood." Kagome replied quickly, looking away from his stunning eyes that were so much like his older brothers'.

"Oh." InuYasha let out a sharp laugh. "No way. It was just that bastard brother of mine. Nothing to worry about."

Kagome relaxed, and pulled out of the drive way with a sharp turn. "Pick something that you want to listen to." Kagome said suddenly, and InuYasha turned his head.

"What?"

"Look. I might not have done it, but now I'm feeling a little guilty, okay? Just pick something to listen to, so I feel better, and we can get rid of this awkward silence." Kagome replied hastily, staring straight ahead, and weaving diligently through traffic.

InuYasha looked at Kagome with a frown for a moment, but it quickly changed to a grin. He picked a Japanese rock station, and let the base flow through the speakers, and up into his legs. This time, he enjoyed the sensation, letting it make his legs go numb.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Kagome pulling into her parking space with a sharp squeal of tires, and sighed. First bell rang with a sharp sound, and Kagome rushed out of the car, grabbing her bags, and locking the car I the process.

"What's next?" InuYasha asked, matching her hurried pace with his large stride easily.

"Auto." Kagome replied, turning a corner that InuYasha didn't even see. The people around him slowly dies off, until they were almost alone in a strange hallway that he'd never been in before.

Kagome finally stopped in front of two huge double doors, and pulled them open with a great heave. The light from inside almost blinded InuYasha a moment as he followed her, but blinking quickly solved the problem. Sharp smells of gas, oil, and other nameless car things assaulted his nose. Kagome was off to the side, slipping on a big blue apron. Her name was embroidered on the side, he noted. Kagome completed her strange ensemble by slipping some safety goggles onto her head, resting them at the top of her head, and strapping on a belt with a strange array of tools he had seen a few times, but couldn't name. Gloves were drawn out of a back pocket, and Kagome moved away, leaving him behind.

As InuYasha's eyes appraised the cars in various stages of construction, he noted that the light was coming from several garage doors, all open wide. A radio station crackled from inside one of the cars, being temporarily drowned out by the second bell as it rang sharply.

"Kagome!" a voice called, catching his attention. "We almost thought that you were going to be late!"

"Me?" she replied with a mocking laugh. "No way. Not to auto, Mr. Lee."

InuYasha watched as Kagome chatted briefly with a balding man, who was shorter than she was. He sported the same attire, though the oversized apron made him look much smaller than he was. _So do Kagome's long legs, _he noted, examining their incomparable length where the apron didn't cover them.

"Gome!" a shrill voice, cried, and InuYasha turned, only to recoil in horror. A strange man wearing a bright floral shirt and eyeliner was waving and smiling. He could have easily passed for a girl, if not for the way he walked, and the shape of his body next to Kagome's. He made her look fragile.

"Jak!" Kagome replied with a grin, meeting the strange man in an embrace. InuYasha swallowed the urge to gag, and opted to watch the strange events play out un-interrupted.

"What about me?" a deeper voice came, and Kagome laughed in a way that InuYasha had never heard before. From behind a car, came a shorter boy, though he was still taller than Kagome. He had long black hair, and it was braided neatly at the back of his head.

His apron wasn't tied around his neck, but flopped haphazardly over his jeans. His white, sleeveless shirt was stained with oil, and other murky fluids, but that only seemed to accentuate his bad-boy, grunge look.

Kagome allowed herself to be swept into the air, her braid and his intermingling strangely as he spun with her in his arms. What his size lacked, he made up for in strength, playing with Kagome in the air like a doll.

"Ban-chan, put me down!" Kagome laughed, giving him a tight hug as her feet touched back on the ground. She didn't move from his arms, but simply turned around, back to face the teacher.

"Mr. Lee, you know that InuYasha is with me today, right?" Kagome asked, nodding her head in the direction of InuYasha, who felt slightly put out by the strange introduction.

"Of course. The principal already talked to me. Why don't you go introduce him to everyone else before you get down to work?" Mr. Lee replied, smiling and walking away. "I'll be in my office."

Kagome wriggled reluctantly out of her best friend's arms, and waved InuYasha over. He came, feeling rather uneasy beside these two strange boys.

"InuYasha, this is Jakotsu." She said, pointing to the strangely dressed man. He nodded, and looked over him with a strange smile on his face. InuYasha tried not to shudder.

"This is Bankotsu." She said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder, to the boy with the braid, who still stood right behind her. He watched InuYasha with wary eyes, but didn't say anything. InuYasha just nodded at them, not wanting to be the first to speak.

"They're my best friends. We've done almost everything together, for as long as I can remember." Kagome smiled, letting Bankotsu pull her braid teasingly, before moving away. "Is everyone else in the other wing?" she asked, looking back at him.

"Yeah. We were waiting for you to start. As usual, Ren is PMS-ing." Bankotsu laughed, a deep sound that made InuYasha want to frown.

Kagome laughed too, before walking away, leaving InuYasha to follow at his own pace. Bankotsu hooked his arm through one of Kagome's, and Jakotsu did the same on the other side. InuYasha glared at the trio as they walked ahead, and tried not to feel bitter. Or jealous.

"Hey everyone!" Kagome called, and several voices responded. InuYasha watched with morbid fascination as several more people popped out from various places throughout the room, like bugs.

"Everyone, this is InuYasha. InuYasha, from left to right, that's Suikotsu, Renkotsu, Mukotsu, Ginkotsu, and Kyokotsu."

"Weird." He muttered, smiling at them. Their names were practically the same.

"You're new, right?" Bankotsu spoke up, looking at InuYasha strangely.

"No! Don't you know? That's InuYasha Taisho!!" Jakotsu piped up, giving InuYasha that strange look again. "He's one of Japan's 20 hottest bachelors!!"

"Jak! Have you been reading my magazines?" Kagome asked, glaring at the taller boy. He looked a little meek.

"So?" he asked, looking away.

"ASK FIRST!" she shouted, before smiling. "Then I don't have to get mad."

"Yeah, yeah, Gome." He replied, a smile on his face. InuYasha felt thoroughly weirded out. And excluded.

"Well, now that we know all about you, here's something that you should know about us. This is our domain. So don't touch anything, under any circumstances." Bankotsu said, with a glare from behind Kagome. "Most people will tell you the same. Not to mess with the Garage Gang, unless you know what's good for your health."

Turning away from Bankotsu, he looked at Jakotsu. He couldn't remember the article that he was talking about… after all, there were so many. "What am I ranked then?" he asked.

"Something like… uh… seven…" Jakotsu starting, talking and thinking at the same time.

InuYasha instantly felt better.

"-teen. Seventeen, I think. I haven't read the polls in a while, though…"

Scratch that good feeling.

InuYasha felt like _crap._

Seventeen out or twenty? His day couldn't get worse.

"Who placed first?" he asked, rather angry. What bastard had beaten him?

"Uh… Sesshomaru Taisho, Naraku Kuroki, and Koga Osaka, in that order, I believe," Jakotsu said, before nodding in an absolute manner. "Yup. That was it."

Damn. He just had to ask.

**To Be Continued…**

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**A/N: **Okay. So there's lots of characters introduced... The band of seven aka the Garage Gang, become important characters later on. At least, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to make them important.

Oh! And I'm going to have a vote on the final pairings... like, who you want Kagome to be with. The choices are; (drum roll)

Kagome/Sesshomaru

Kagome/Bankotsu

Kagome/Hakudoshi

and maybe, perhaps, Kagome/InuYasha. But I don't really want this to be another Kagome/Inu fic... so I havn't decided. If enough people vote for it, then perhaps I might write it like that. Personally, I'm voting for one of the other three.

Now that you all have your voting homework, I'm off to do my science!!

ancient-relic


	6. Schinintai no Sengoku Jidai

**A/N:** Well, I must say, I'm sorry that this chapter took so long. But I've been playing Need For Speed Underground 2 lately, and well, I was inspired. I wrote this up pretty quick, but then had to go back and edit a little. Hope you all enjoy!!!

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Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha. I don't own any cool night clubs, either. T-T**

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Last Chapter: **Kagome chills out and has some fun with Sango, Miroku and Shippo before she and InuYasha have to go back to school. Sesshomaru talks with InuYasha about Kagome and her relation to their father's 'business', and Sesshomaru tells InuYasha that for the better good, they should try to get Kagome to work with them. Rather upset about Kagome seeming to just step in and take a position InuYasha didn't want filled, he mopes all the way back to school. Kagome then introduces InuYasha to her best friends in the world; the charismatic brothers that she works with in Auto Shop. **

* * *

Summary: **A.U. Kagome, just like her missing father, is a genius. Racing was in his blood, and it's in hers too. In meeting InuYasha, new roads are opened up to her. But does Kagome really like where they're headed? 

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**Placing First**

**Chapter Six: Schinintai no Sengoku [Jidai**

**By ancient-relic**

Kagome puttered around happily, working in perfect synchronization with the boys. Their teacher remained in his office for the whole time, not bothering to do a thing with his students.

InuYasha sulked, sitting here, brooding there, and frowning every time Kagome touched that stupid Bankotsu.

Bankotsu- more affectionately known as "Ban-chan"- was almost hanging off Kagome, which was because InuYasha suspected that Bankotsu suspected that it irritated him, which it did.

So of course, it only fueled to his dislike of the braided wonder. That Jakotsu was no better, and was gayer than the gayest person he knew, which wasn't really saying a lot, because he didn't really know anyone who was actually gay. It didn't help that Jakotsu seemed more than adept at sensing negative emotions, and seemed to hang off _him, _thinking that it might just make him feel better.

It made him want to gag.

"Oi! Kagome! Want to see our newest project for Mr. Lee?" Bankotsu called, finally separating himself more than a few yards from Kagome's side.

"Definitely! Then, maybe, I'll treat you to a ride in my car." Kagome laughed, throwing her rag at Suikotsu, who caught it without even looking up from under the hood of an old mustang he was trying to bring back.

"Thanks," he replied with a laugh, and Kagome chuckled, before dancing away.

"You know it!"

"Hurry, Kaggsie!" Jakotsu called, stuck on prancing over to Kagome, and prancing after Bankotsu, who had disappeared behind a lift.

"Come on, InuYasha!" Kagome called, turning to him. "Stop moping around, and come see Ban's hard work!"

InuYasha grumbled something indistinct, but followed her, regardless, rather curious about whatever Bankotsu was raving about. He followed Kagome as she rounded the corner, and stood beside her with his arms folded as she waited rather impatiently for Bankotsu to lift the big tarp off the little car, that looked suspiciously like a Porsche.

"Ready?" Bankotsu grinned, and Kagome nodded eagerly, which was accompanied by Jakotsu's squeals.

"Come on, already Ban!!" he cried, squeezing Kagome's arm.

Bankotsu lifted a lever, and a chain pulled the tarp up, leaving behind a little Ford Solstice behind. They were really popular in North America, but they weren't very common in Japan, seeing as how it was an American car company.

InuYasha scoffed. It wasn't even _that_ fuel efficient! However, his eyes were drawn to what Bankotsu was gesturing to- it wasn't that he had tried to fix up the car; it was the paint job that he was being marked on.

Long, delicate vines were etched into the body of the car, and they were painted to make them look like they were raised out of the doors of the car, when in fact, it was the opposite. Foliage, and delicate skies, which trailed into a gorgeous sunset, decorated the car. The detail that had been put into the painting must have taken months. The changes between colours were so even, that it was hard to tell where one colour ended, and another began.

Whipping out his cell phone, InuYasha snapped several pictures, before sliding it out of sight again. He needed to talk to his father, as they had been looking for someone to re-do their cars, without investing in whole new ones. They needed what they had under the hoods, but they needed a new look that would be different enough, and a little more unrecognizable. Most certainly, these buffoons would get the job done. And done _well_.

A fleeting memory flashed into his head… that of Hakudoshi's car; white, silver, and purple. His would definitely be better. A plan formulating in his head, he slinked over to the garage door, and stepped outside, his fingers already moving rapidly over the little keys on his phone, texting his brother and father.

Kagome's eyes shone in delight as she watched the overhead light glance off the gleaming car, and as Jakotsu danced happily around Bankotsu (much to _his_ consternation).

"Well, I guess this deserves _some_ praise," Kagome giggled, and Bankotsu sidled over to her, his eyebrow raised with a suggestive look.

"And… what _kind _of praise are you offering?" he said, his voice low. Jakotsu looked up from his inspection of Bankotsu's painting job to shake his head with a grin.

"Well, I was thinking I just _might_ let you drive my new car," Kagome said with a shrug, but turned away. "But then you made a lewd comment…"

Bankotsu looked like someone had shot him. He acted like it too, staggering away, his hand to his chest, until he collapsed; only to be caught by a towering Kyokotsu as he walked past, hauling a toolbox that was almost as big as Bankotsu.

Kagome giggled, but took Bankotsu's hand, and led him to Mr. Lee's office, where the man was doing work to Ayumi Hamasaki's newest song.

"Uh…" Kagome cleared her throat. Mr. Lee looked at her and Bankotsu, not shy at all about his choice in music, or his warbling singing voice.

"Yes, Kagome?"

"Me and Ban are just going to my car. There's something that I want to show him. We'll be back in 10?" she said, grinning as Mr. Lee continued to bob his head to the song.

"All right, I guess." He finally said, "Just don't be too long, now."

Kagome nodded sagely, while behind her, Bankotsu was grinning like the spawn of the devil.

With a wave to the boys, Kagome and Bankotsu were gone, and down the hall.

* * *

Bankotsu watched as Kagome touched her ear lightly, and her car's lights flashed in response. 

"An ear piece?" he asked, curiously. Kagome nodded, and he came closer, turning her around until he could get a good look at the piece that hung from her ear like an earring, but sat plugged in her ear like a hearing aid.

Kagome laughed and shied away as Bankotsu pressed his nose into her neck, and Bankotsu pouted at her before she turned to open the car door. While her back was turned, his playful pout turned into a wide grin, as he ambled over to her.

Turning to bring Bankotsu over, she was surprised when she walked right into his chest. Letting him hold her for a moment, she stepped aside, and gestured to the driver's seat.

"Well, here you go. Be sure you don't do anything overly reckless." Kagome grinned, before moving around the hood and slipping into the passenger seat.

Kagome and Bankotsu spent a few moments going over all the special features that Kagome had added and adapted, though it didn't take long for Bankotsu to figure out how to adjust the seat, start the radio, and start the ignition.

With a glance over his shoulder and a grin at Kagome, he backed out of Kagome's parking space, and zoomed out of the driveway, like a bat out of hell.

Kagome sat comfortably in the passenger's seat; not at all alarmed by the way Bankotsu was driving. Rather, she was pleased with him, as he tested the limits of her car; and of the speed limit, and crossed her arms, letting the steady thump of the base pulse through her from the speaker in the door.

"Hey, Kagome," Bankotsu said quietly, catching her attention.

"Yeah?" she replied, looking at him curiously. One of his arms was resting around the back of her chair, but he was focused on the road.

"I was just wondering about that InuYasha guy." He said, slowing at a stop sign, and turning right, so that they were cruising through a rather residential area.

With the car on cruise control, Bankotsu glanced away from the road, and looked at Kagome with a glance that was so fierce she faltered.

"Uh…" Kagome said smartly, suddenly unsure of where Bankotsu wanted to take the conversation. "What about InuYasha?"

"Do you have any idea who he is?" Bankotsu said, turning away, to signal left onto another street.

"Umm. InuYasha Taisho, yeah? The son of the famous Touga Inu no Taisho?"

"He's also a member of a gang, Kagome." Bankotsu said, pulling into a driveway of a rather large complex. Kagome recognized it as his. "He, his father, and his brother run a gang that competes with Naraku's."

Kagome looked at him, wide-eyed. Her look of surprise quickly turned to anger, and she hissed, "Naraku?!"

Bankotsu made a noise of affirmation. "When Naraku hired us that month, Mukotsu did a little espionage. He found out that they were competing with this other group. Remember the explosion?"

"The one at the mall?!" Kagome gasped, remembering the newspaper article. A series of bombs had gone off in the sewer systems underneath the mall, and several of the complexes had completely collapsed due to it. It was still closed for repairs, and it had happened six months ago. The police report had said that the cause of damage was gang activity. Kagome remembered all this with a startling clarity, because she and her brother had been at the mall at the time, and she had hacked the police report.

"Yeah. It was Hakudoshi versus InuYasha."

"Who's Hakudoshi?"

"He's not important. The important thing is, is that InuYasha's father sent him to 'school' today as punishment. He's supposed to be toning it down, and acting more normal."

Kagome was silent. Her mind wandered back to Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Sesshomaru, whom she had met at InuYasha's beach house. Did that mean they were all in it too? What _else_ had InuYasha been lying about?

"I'll be right back." Bankotsu said, and ran inside to come back out with a file-folder for his next class.

As soon as he swung back into the car, Kagome looked at him.

"How do you know all this?"

"Mukotsu."

"I can't believe it." Kagome replied stubbornly.

"Kagome," Bankotsu pressed, his voice firm. "How can you ignore it? You were _at_ the mall. This is why your **father** disappeared!"

"You don't know that!" Kagome snapped furiously, her face distorted. Bankotsu flinched away- he was so shocked by Kagome's sudden change in attitude.

She unbuckled her seatbelt, and climbed out of the car, her back to Bankotsu. Bankotsu watched as she wrapped her arms around herself, and her shoulders shook. He berated himself for bringing up such a sensitive topic, but he knew that it had to be done. He needed to keep her out of trouble… he had promised Hosui that much.

Moving out and around the car, Bankotsu came slowly to Kagome's side, where her bangs hid her face from view. Not saying anything else, he wrapped his arms around her in apology. Kagome buried her face into his shoulder, and Bankotsu pressed his cheek to Kagome's head as her tears soaked his shirt.

He stood there silently with her as her sobs slowed, until finally she pulled away, and looked up at him with wet eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't-" he started, but Kagome smiled up at him, and he felt forgiven instantly.

"I know. You're just trying to protect me, right?" Bankotsu nodded.

Kagome smiled again, and placed her head back on Bankotsu's chest, and stood there before dashing away, and sliding into the drivers' seat. "Come on now, we're already over 10 minutes!"

Bankotsu smiled at Kagome's change in mood, and joined her in the car. Kagome wasted no time in speeding back to school, with luck again on her side as they came across no cops.

"Look. Why don't you and InuYasha come to the club after school? Jak could use your help with some of the stage stuff, and you'll see if I'm right. If I am, the rest of InuYasha's crew will show up." Bankotsu said.

Kagome looked at him for a moment, before sighing. "Okay. But I have to be home for dinner… Hojo and Akitoki-san are coming over tonight."

"Hey!" Bankotsu grinned. "No problem. I'll drive you home myself!"

Kagome laughed, and pulled into the school parking lot. Kagome grabbed Bankotsu's free hand, and pulled him back to auto, locking the car with her earpiece.

* * *

"Hey," Bankotsu said, and InuYasha looked up from his phone. 

"What?" he replied, standing and almost towering over Bankotsu. However, Bankotsu wasn't intimidated.

"I've invited Kagome over to the club tonight, and I'm extending the invitation to you."

InuYasha looked rather surprised as Bankotsu continued on.

"It's the _Schinintai no Sengoku Jidai._ Downtown, first left past Concession 6." Bankotsu walked away, not bothering to wait and see if InuYasha replied.

But that was okay, because InuYasha wasn't replying. He was grinning.

* * *

"What?!" Sesshomaru snapped irritably, picking up his phone and silencing the horrible ring tone that his brother had selected for himself. However, his ears were not spared as instead of the ring tone; InuYasha's voice came flooding into his ear. 

"Chill, man." InuYasha said, a smile in his voice. "I've just made the greatest discovery."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to groan, but something in the back of his mind told him that this might be the thing that would make his bad day back into a bordering-on-bad day.

"And?"

"I've found this group of guys," InuYasha started, but Sesshomaru cut him off.

"Are you not supposed to be at school with Kagome? We can't have you disappearing and causing _another_ fuss for father." Sesshomaru said briskly.

"Man! Chill!" InuYasha snapped. "If you'd just let me finish this,"

"Then continue- I don't have all day." Sesshomaru replied, his voice forced and cold. He loathed his brother. His voice was one of the things that could set him off at the drop of a hat.

"These guys, Kagome's friends with them. They're all auto-fanatics, and they do a _fine_ tune-up and paint job."

"From your text?" Sesshomaru connected the picture InuYasha had sent him… and he remembered the amazing detail.

"Yeah," InuYasha replied, his voice a different tenor for a moment. "I'm going to their club. They invited me and Kagome. You should bring everyone down."

"_We_ were not invited, InuYasha." Sesshomaru replied, his tone condescending.

"I _know_ that, Sesshomaru." InuYasha replied, his voice mocking. "But what about striking up a business deal? I'm sure you could put their talents to good use. Besides. It's a club. You could just be there to party."

Sesshomaru remained silent for a moment, wondering just how InuYasha had come across such a good idea. And a good idea it was… they were looking for someone to handle their cars. They needed to clear out for a while- until their most recent activities were pushed to the back of the police's list of important crimes to solve.

"Very well. 6 o'clock, InuYasha. Look sharp."

With that, Sesshomaru shut his cell with an abrupt snap, and set to emailing Sango and Miroku, who would no doubt be as excited about this as InuYasha was. After, he would call his father.

* * *

Kagome sat in math, listening to her teacher drone on about something that she had already covered. InuYasha was sitting beside her, twirling his pen and staring out the window. 

Frowning at him, Kagome opened a search engine program, and typed in "Taisho".

Several different pages of links popped up, and Kagome was surprised with where some of them were coming from. There was everything from individual's opinions on the famous Taisho three, but there were also some rather important sites, and Kagome bookmarked the search, planning on going over them when she was alone. The last thing that she needed was InuYasha watching her over her shoulder while she was searching his family.

Before she closed her window, her eye caught an email address. Quickly opening the link, she found Sesshomaru Taisho's business contact page, complete with his email address.

Copying and pasting, she opened her email, and composed a quick email to him.

* * *

**Subject:** N/A 

**From:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla

**To: **sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim

So you're big dog on campus, eh? Next in line for the throne?

_**-----**_

_**Subject:**__ Re: N/A_

_**From:** sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim_

_**To:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla_

_I must assume that you know the kind of trouble you can get yourself in talking like that to me. That is, if you know exactly who you're talking to. _

**_-----_**

**Subject:** Re: N/A

**From: **kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla

**To: **sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim

I do believe I have an idea. A more appropriate question, is do you know who I am? I know more about you than you would care to admit. I know what you actually do…

**_-----_**

_**Subject:**_ _Re: N/A_

_**From:** sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim_

_**To: **kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla_

_What I actually do? I work for my father, Miss. Higurashi. We own one of the largest world-wide shipping and handling companies in the world. And yes, I am being trained to take over my father's position as head of the company. _

**_-----_**

**Subject:** Re: N/A

**From: **kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla

**To: **sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim

Don't play smart with me, Sesshomaru. You are well aware of what I'm talking about.

I've just been informed why InuYasha is actually here at my school. And I can attest to this, because I was at the mall when the bombs went off. I was shopping with my little brother for an engagement gift for my mother.

**_-----_**

_**Subject:** Re: N/A_

_**From:** sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim_

_**To:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla_

_You should not be discussing such things over something faulty and unprotected like the internet. You should also watch who you accuse, Miss. Higurashi. _

**_-----_**

**Subject:** Re: N/A

**From:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla

**To: **sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim

Do you think I would be stupid enough to let anything of mine go unprotected? There are few people who can get at me as I am now. I am no fool- I am my father's daughter.

Are you coming to the club? InuYasha has told you- I know. But are you coming?

**_-----_**

_**Subject:** Re: N/A_

_**From:** sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim_

_**To:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla_

_Aren't you the clever one, Miss. Higurashi. Very much like your father indeed. _

_Yes, I will be making an appearance later tonight. Perhaps we can talk face to face then._

**_-----_**

**Subject:** Re: N/A

**From:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla

**To: **sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim

I do suppose I can manage that. I will look forward to talking with you then, as there are lots of things I need to talk with you about. Can you bring your father as well?

**_-----_**

_**Subject:** Re: N/A_

_**From:** sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim_

_**To:** kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla_

_I don't see why not. Until tonight then, Miss. Higurashi. _

**_-----_**

**Subject:** Re: N/A

**From: **kagome.the.brain (at) tokyouniversity.cla

**To: **sesshomarutaisho (at) tcorps.aim

My name is _Kagome._

**_

* * *

_**

Kagome smiled as she shut her computer. Students were filing out of the room, and InuYasha was looking curiously at her.

"Weren't you paying attention?"

"Nope. I've already done this work."

"Nerd," InuYasha muttered. Kagome tripped him as he moved around her chair.

"Who were you so busy talking to?" InuYasha asked, as he trotted beside Kagome as she made her way to her locker.

"What?"

"You were sending emails back and forth with someone, weren't you?" InuYasha asked, his tone accusing.

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

"None of your business!" Kagome snapped, and slammed her locker shut after dumping her textbooks. "Look. The day is over, and you're not here tomorrow, or for the rest of my life. The last time that I ever have to come in contact with you will be tonight. So why don't you think about leaving me alone, okay?"

With that, Kagome walked away, leaving InuYasha standing rather helplessly as girls flocked around him since Kagome was gone. He frowned, and shoved them out of the way.

If Kagome was going to be such a bitch, then he really didn't want to spend time with her, anyways.

* * *

Kagome frowned at herself in the mirror. Was what she was wearing really appropriate for a meeting with Sesshomaru and his father? She spun. 

But a more appropriate question… was what she was wearing appropriate for a club?

Kagome pulled out black mid-calf stiletto boots, and pulled them up over her black, stocking-clad legs. She had on a pair of jean mini-shorts on top of the stockings, and a sparkly black shirt with lots of fabric at the neckline, so it looked like there was some kind of shimmering scarf around her neck. Completing her dark look with some black eyeliner and some silver earrings and bracelets, she hurried down the stairs.

"Bye, Kaa-san," Kagome cried.

"Don't be late for our dinner, Kagome-chan." Her mother replied from the kitchen.

"I won't!" Kagome cried, picking up her rarely used, sparkly silver purse. She was going to a club. She wanted to look the part. Was that a crime?

"Ooh, nee-chan!" Souta whistled. "Who are you going out with, dressed like that?"

"Dressed like what?!" Kagome's mother shouted. Kagome heard her turning off the water. If she didn't leave now, her mother would stop her before she left the house.

"I'll kill you later, brat." Kagome grinned, giving her brother a parting nougie before she left. "I'm just going out with Ban-chan, Kaa-san. He wants to show me something. Bye!!"

And with that, Kagome was gone out the door and down the shrine steps that led to the driveway, where Bankotsu was waiting, in a sleek dark purple Porsche 933 Cabriolet.

"Well isn't this a cute little car." Kagome grinned cheekily. Bankotsu smiled back.

"Perfect for my cute little friend," he chuckled.

Kagome had the decency to blush as Bankotsu pulled out of the driveway, and took off down the street.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Bankotsu asked, turning to look at her while they were stopped at a light.

"Yeah. They're all going to be wrapped around my little finger, and none of them are going to know it." Kagome stated, the saintly smile on her face belying her darker words.

"Damn," Bankotsu laughed. "That's kinky."

Kagome laughed too. She could feel the pounding of the music coming from Bankotsu's club while they were still down the street, and she knew that even if things didn't go the way she wanted them to, she was still going to have a little fun.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**A/N:** Oooookay. That's done. That was a loooong chapter. Or at least, it took long to write. 

That all being said, some important news about the voting!! Sesshomaru is in the lead, with Bankotsu in close second, down by one vote!! And then there's poor Hakudoshi and Inu, who are moping because they haven't gotten even half of what Sesshomaru and Ban-chan have...

So! Voting will continue for at least two more chapters!! That way, I get to plan my story around the 'men' in Kagome's life, and you get to keep voting. Once a chapter, please and thanks.

That being said, MERRY CHRISMAS, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Until next time,

**ancient-relic**


	7. The Three Taishos

**A/N:** Goddamn, it's been a while. Many apologies. A summary and last chapter for you now:

I hope you enjoy!!

* * *

**Last Chapter:** Kagome showed a glimpse of her talent as she puttered around with the 'Garage Gang'. After revealing a amazing paint and detailing job that they had done as extra credit, InuYasha gets in contact with his brother. The need to disguise their cars- and who better to do it? Bankotsu, however, warns Kagome that they're up to no good when Kagome takes them out for a ride. Her eyes opened to the possible truth of her father, Kagome deivises a plan in which she can confront the three Taishos, and get to the bottom of the mystery of her father's disappearance. Bankotsu invites InuYasha to the club that his family co-owns, while Kagome gets in contact with Sesshomaru and invites him and her father. Meanwhile, Kagome has to be home for the dinner with her mother's fiancee...

* * *

**Summary:** A.U. Kagome, just like her missing father, is a genius. Racing was in his blood, and it's in hers too. In meeting InuYasha, new roads are opened up to her. But does Kagome really like where they're headed? KagomeX?

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own InuYasha. BUT I HAVE OFFICIALLY READ IT ALL!! OMFG!

* * *

**Placing First**

**Chapter Six: The Three Taisho's**

**By ancient-relic**

Kagome closed her eyes as Bankotsu drove, finally getting close enough to feel the underground club's beat pounding through the ground. A smile spread across her face.

"It's been a while since you've visited, Kagome." Bankotsu chuckled.

"Mmn," she made a noise of agreement, concentrating on recognizing the song that was pounding through the ground.

"Will you dance with me?" he requested slyly, his tone enough to get Kagome to open her eyes, and turn to look at him.

A smirk that she was fairly familiar with had spread across his face, though he was looking at the road and not her.

"Maybe if you're good," she replied, batting her eyelashes when he turned to look at her.

"I like the sound of this," he laughed again.

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"Are you sure?" InuYasha asked again, looking at Miroku warily.

"For god's sake, _yes,_" Miroku said, looking at InuYasha through the mirror. "You look fine. Has it really been this long since you've been to a club?"

"No," he admitted, almost hesitant to continue.

"But it's been a while since you've tried to impress a girl, right?" Miroku chuckled, pulling his hair back, and moving to the door. He was dressed in fairly slim jeans, and a simple white shirt under a purple button down shirt, which he left open. Silver jewelry accentuated his purple eyes and shirt; hoop earrings, a thin chain around his neck, and a large silver watch. The look was completed by polished black shoes, which made him look more Italian than Japanese.

InuYasha was wearing dark slacks and a lighter long-sleeved shirt, thicker than cotton but thinner than a sweater. The sleeves were rolled up to show his tanned forearms and a silver watch on his own left wrist. His dark hair was down, and his eyes shone brightly despite his dark clothing. Personally, he thought he looked decent. He could get any girl that he wanted, he supposed, if he walked into a club looking and smelling the way he did right now.

"Every girl except one," Miroku said, reading his thoughts from the doorway. "Come on, already. Sesshomaru has already left to pick up your father, and Sango is waiting for us."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome slunk into the club behind Bankotsu, earning more than one whistle from the line of people waiting to get in. She replied with the finger.

As soon as she entered the door, a heavy pounding made her body vibrate. The actual entrance was set on the top of a staircase, and the actual building continued down, instead of up. Lights flashed appropriately, and the dance floor was a heap of writhing bodies as the people moved to the provocative music. A large mirror covered the far wall, and only served to reflect the flashing lights. On an adjacent wall, a bar stretched the length, and the third wall held a stage and DJ booth, the stage currently devoid of performers. Stairs climbed the same wall, and several balconies, comfy chairs, and sitting areas were spread out on various levels, all around the building. VIP rooms, however, as well as other quarters that Bankotsu used for other things, used the wall of the bar.

Poles were used as supports for the balconies and dancing partners, and speakers were hidden in the walls, the ground, and even the seats. What was the most unique, perhaps, about this particular club, was the décor- everything was done in deep shades of green and brown, and trailing vines and real plants decorated the walls and balconies. Twinkling lights lined the railings like stars, and lights were not traditional colours, but instead, blues, some whites, and greens.

The whole place thrummed with a dark kind of light, creating the suburban jungle called Schinintai no Sengoku Jidai. Kagome inhaled deeply. It'd been a _long _time. And it was time to hit the bar.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Let's go!" Sesshomaru looked down at his watch, resisting the urge to tap his foot impatiently. InuYasha was becoming strangely obsessive with his appearance. He had an inkling as to why, but the more he thought about it, the more disgusted he became.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!!" a holler met his ears. Looking up from his watch, Sesshomaru watched InuYasha stride over, patting down his hair. "Let's get this show on the road," InuYasha said, climbing into the backseat where Miroku and Sango were already waiting.

"About time. We have to go pick up father, and you know how much he hates being late." Sesshomaru snapped, walking around to the driver's seat.

"Yeah, yeah," InuYasha said, brushing the comment aside. His voice covered his anxiety well enough, and he congratulated himself.

Sesshomaru peeled out of the driveway, and sped around the corner, turning sharply through a yellow light into the business district to meet his father.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kagome bounced lightly on her feet, accepting a daiquiri from Suikotsu. _Mmn, strawberry._ She sipped lightly, tasting the slight aftertaste of alcohol, and made a mental note not to have another one. She wanted to be totally on her toes when she met Sesshomaru.

"Kagomeee!" a shrill voice seemed to cut through the noise and the crowd effortlessly, and Kagome turned to see Jakotsu approaching. Every once in a while he decided to dress like the male he was- and even Kagome had to appreciate it. He was dressed in slim jeans, a white buttoned shirt, with a black waiter's vest hanging open over it. It was the uniform for anyone who worked at the club, but only occasionally Jakotsu actually made an attempt to follow it. He was a co-owner, after all.

"Hey, Jak." Kagome said, raising her glass in a salute. She caught a few jealous glances over his shoulder as he gave her a peck on the cheek.

"It's been so long!! What's got you here tonight? It usually takes and arm and a leg to get you away from your computer nowadays." He pouted when she moved her drink out of his reach.

"I needed a break," she deigned. "But I've finished my car- my newest project. And besides, I've got some people I'm meeting here tonight."

"I see," Jakotsu said, nodding but not listening. "Come see Zap-chan! He's here tonight, and you haven't seen him for even longer than you've been away." He said, tugging on her hand.

Kagome turned to look over her shoulder, but Bankotsu was already in business mode, talking with a group of gentlemen at the bar a little ways away. _They aren't due for at least ten minutes more, anyways._ She thought, following Jakotsu.

He led her up several flights of stairs, and across a walkway that spanned the whole building. Kagome could have followed the path with her eyes closed, she was so familiar with it- but she watched the people she passed, as they enjoyed themselves in the place she had a part in creating.

"Zap-chan!" Jakotsu called, stepping through a door marked 'Employees Only'. "Kagome's heeeereeeee! Zaaaaaaap-chaaaaaannn!"

Kagome shook her head at his antics. A moment later, a door slammed open. "I thought I told you not to call me Zap-chan!!" a voice roared.

Dressed in jeans, a black shirt and a purple dinner jacket thrown haphazardly atop this, Hiten still managed to look dashing. "You fucking ingrate!" he yelled, bopping Jakotsu on the head. "At least you're actually wearing the right clothes!"

"Stop being so mean, Zap-chan!!" Jakotsu whined. "I brought Kagome to see you!"

Hiten turned around, his braid whipping Jakotsu in the face. "Kagome! It's been forever," he scooped her up into a hug, and pecked her cheek. "I'm glad you've come to visit!"

"Me too," Kagome replied, returning his affections. She'd dated him for a couple of months a few years ago, but had mutually split after some unpleasant faces had started causing him trouble. They had stayed good friends even after the trouble had passed, but Kagome didn't want to put herself in such a dangerous position a second time.

"Still looking for a man?" he said, puffing out his chest. "Look no further."

"In your dreams," she laughed. "Where's your brother?"

"Still out of town," he shrugged. "He's found a girl from China who adores him- but he can't speak a word of Cantonese. It's hilarious to watch, really."

"Kagome's got some friends she's meeting with," Jakotsu chose that moment to butt in. "Ban says she needs somewhere quiet to meet with them."

"Cool," Hiten replied, sending Kagome a curious glance. "This won't be the first time business has gone down here. I'll check my VIP rooms, and meet you downstairs."

"Thanks," Kagome said, giving him a light squeeze on the shoulder. "I'm going to find Ban," she said to Jakotsu, heading back down the hall.

After the door had swung shut behind her, Hiten turned to Jakotsu. "Business? What kind of trouble is Kagome in now?"

"She's not in trouble… yet." Jakotsu dodged a smack from Hiten. "She's meeting up with the three Taishio's."

"What?!" Hiten made a particular facial expression not unlike that of a fish out of water. "Taisho's? Here?! ALL THREE OF THEM?"

"Yeah," Jakotsu said. "This will be one of few times that they're actually all out together."

"God damnit, Jakotsu." Hiten swore. "Japan's three hottest bachelors, here all at once?"

"Yea, well…" Jakotsu shrugged. "Ban's got a plan,"

"He'd better," Hiten threatened. "I've gotta go run some checks before they get here."

"Kay!!"

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Sesshomaru pulled up with a screech of tires to the front of one of several Taisho Corps. buildings. His father was already outside waiting.

"Be more careful with my car, would ya?" InuYasha snapped from the backseat. "I just got new tires."

"One of the many things that needs to be replaced," Sesshomaru snapped. "It's your fault we're late, anyhow."

Touga climbed into the car in the midst of yet another bout of his sons' bickering. "Enough," he said. "We're all to be on our best behavior meeting Miss Higurashi tonight, all right? She's the daughter of Hosui."

"We've already all met her, dad," InuYasha pointed out. "It's just you,"

"Well I won't have her thinking bad of me just because I've got two bickering buffoons for sons," he replied, pining his youngest with a glare. "Now, let's go,"

Sesshomaru pulled of the driveway and into traffic in a smooth left. He weaved through lanes efficiently, cutting through several yellows and earning more than one honk.

"Take it easy," Touga replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "She won't care if we're slightly late- Hosui didn't care either."

"She's not Hosui, father," Sesshomaru replied. "Not everyone has the time to wait for you."

Touga retracted his hand at his eldest's sharp retort, but smiled. Even Sesshomaru could be nervous, it seemed. Looking in the rearview mirror, he caught Sango's, Miroku's and InuYasha's grins, and replied with a wink.

Sesshomaru pulled into the VIP lane outside the club, and tossed the keys to a rather violent, bald valet. "Scratch it if you want, it's my brother's." He said, moving inside, leaving Sango, Miroku and InuYasha behind. Touga kept pace with him.

"Why are you so nervous?" he asked, turning to look at his son as a guard opened the doors and they were ushered inside.

"I'm not nervous," he replied. "Did you know that she contacted me? Before InuYasha did,"

"Oh really?" Touga questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Mmn." He affirmed. "She found my email address, and we spent a half an hour trading emails- and get this," he said, handing a short man his and his father's over coats. "I couldn't track her IP address. It was too heavily encrypted."

"Or _really,_" Touga said, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Like father, like daughter?"

"So it would seem," he said, stepping out onto the landing.

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Kagome leant casually against the bar, chatting with Suikotsu, who had handed her another daiquiri. Bankotsu caught her attention as he strode through the crowd, and Suikotsu placed a glass of ice water in front of him.

Chugging it down, he turned to Kagome. "Always something to do," he said with a cocky grin. Kagome couldn't help but smile back.

"What's up?"

"They're here," Bankotsu said, pointing upwards. "Jakotsu's gone to get them."

Kagome followed Bankotsu's finger, and watched as two imposing silver-haired figures descended the stairs- one of them familiarly Sesshomaru, followed by who Kagome guessed was Sango, Miroku, and a dark-haired InuYasha.

"I'll wait here," she said, turning around and slurping down the rest of her second drink.

"I'll bring them, then," Bankotsu said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "Be careful,"

Kagome smiled and nodded, looking out at the dancers. Her eyes wandered to the mirrored wall, and she did a double take. A pale face stared back at her from the mirror. Light lavender hair was offset by a black jacket and a white shirt.

"It's the guy from earlier," she mumbled, rising from her seat and setting off after him. However, as soon as she stepped foot on the dance floor, she was lost in the sway of bodies, and she couldn't seem him any longer.

"Damn," she sighed, turning to head back to the bar. A familiar song pounded through the speakers, and she found herself moving with the throng as she made her way through the crowd.

However, a gentle tug pulled her back, away from the bar, and she turned her head to see who had stopped her.

"It's a pleasure, Kagome Higurashi," a voice rumbled in her ear, barely heard over the thumping music. "Again,"

Kagome turned to see Sesshomaru's brilliant amber eyes appraising her. She smiled. "Sesshomaru, what brings you to the dance floor?"

"You, of course," he replied, a smug grin lifting the corners of his mouth. "I've been told you know how to dance,"

"Well that depends on the kind of dancing you think I know how to do," she shot back, linking her fingers lightly with his and pulling him deeper into the crowd.

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"Did you see that?!" Miroku said, pointing. "He was so totally flirting."

"Shut up," InuYasha growled, downing a shot.

"And Kagome- wow!!" Sango laughed, twirling her martini and sipping lightly. "She went right along with it!!"

"Do you suppose she's got a crush on him?" Miroku questioned, wiggling an eyebrow suggestively. "Or maybe Sesshomaru likes he-"

"I said shut up!" InuYasha snapped. "That prick doesn't know a thing about picking up girls," he growled, "and he certainly was not _flirting_ with Kagome."

"Is that not allowed, InuYasha?" Miroku laughed. "Can he not go to a club and enjoy himself with a beautiful lady?"

"Or is it just that he can't do it with Kagome?" Sango chipped in, nibbling on her olive.

"I'm going to wait with dad." InuYasha snapped, downing another shot. "They'd better get their asses up to the VIP room, or I'm gonna have to come and pull them up there by their tongues myself."

"Unless their tongues are preoccupied," Miroku laughed, moving after InuYasha, leaving his empty beer at the bar. Sango, giggling, followed.

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Kagome laughed again, pulling Sesshomaru out of the throng of dancers. "I didn't know you could dance," she said, walking arm in arm up the stairs towards the VIP room they were meeting in.

"There's a lot about me that is assumed," Sesshomaru replied amiably. "But it's amusing keeping people on their toes."

Kagome pulled her arm away from Sesshomaru's, flashing her club VIP id at one of the VIP bouncers. He opened the door to let them through, letting his gaze linger on Kagome's legs.

Sesshomaru, following, slammed the man bodily against the door he was watching with a dangerous golden glare. The man closed the door behind them hastily.

"Hurry up, Sesshomaru," Kagome called, already a ways down the hall. "Your father is waiting."

Sesshomaru didn't bother to reply, instead, catching up easily with long strides.

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Stepping through the door, Sesshomaru held it out for Kagome, who entered quickly. Couches, tables and cushions were spread tastefully around the room and large glass windows looked down through sparkling lights and dangling ferns onto the dance floor.

"Kagome-chan!" Sango said, rising from a seat by the television where Miroku and InuYasha were entertaining themselves with a racing game.

"Sango-chan!" Kagome smiled, hugging the older girl. "I didn't know you were coming too,"

"Well, Miroku and I had nothing better to do tonight," she smiled. "We thought we'd tag along."

Kagome looked worriedly at Sesshomaru, but he was no longer paying attention to her, and had taken a seat by his father, whose back was currently to her. Hopefully they weren't going to be discussing anything while Sango and Miroku were in the room… she didn't want to get them into trouble.

"Taisho-sama," she said, walking over. "It's an honor, I-" she was cut off as he rose to his intimidating height of 7 foot 2 and scooped her up into a bear hug.

"Kagome-chan!" he boomed, spinning her around. "You've grown up so much!" he chuckled. "Let me look at you, yes, yes, turn for me."

Kagome did so, shocked at his response. "Ah, so young and lovely," he smiled. Patting the spot beside him on the couch, she looked to see Sesshomaru had moved across the table to another couch. He had a disgusted look on his face at his father's actions. She giggled. "Please, have a seat. We have so much to talk about,"

"Uh, Taisho-sama," she stared, sitting beside him. His presence was impressive, one leg stretched and one crossed his arms across the back of the couch. His silver hair, pulled up, fanned out against the back of the couch. His suit was spotless.

"Please call me Touga- oh! Call me Touga-jii," he smiled fondly at her. "I was a good friend of your fathers, Kagome. He also named me your godfather."

"What…?" Kagome said, stunned into silence. This was the first time she had ever met this man, and here he was, treating her like his long-lost daughter. He was her godfather? He knew her father? Questions, questions, questions!! They welled up inside of her with a startling ferocity.

"I know you must have lots of questions for me, Kagome-chan," Touga said, pulling her close with one arm. "But how about we set up a lunch date- just the two of us? We can talk all about it then," he gave her a sparking smile.

Her voice still displaced, she nodded.

"Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable? And talking to her like she's a business partner." Sesshomaru finally snapped. Touga turned to look at Kagome, whose face was beet red. She was tucked under the arm of the richest tycoon in Japan, after all, like a duckling under the wing of her mother.

"Ah! Sorry, Kagome-chan." He gave her another smile.

"It's- it's all right," she said, righting herself with an embarrassed blush. She didn't know whether to feel lucky or shocked.

"Now," Taisho said, smiling, and rubbing his hands. "Business, shall we? You've got a dinner to be home for,"

"How- how did you know?" Kagome said, startled.

"Ah-" Touga fumbled.

"We were talking with Bankotsu-san," Miroku said, walking over and perching on the armrest of Sesshomaru's couch. "He told us of your curfew."

"Speaking of which," InuYasha said, plopping rather ungracefully down beside his brother. "Where is that runt?"

"InuYasha," Kagome glared, rising. "I'll go get him. Just a moment,"

Walking to the door, she picked up the phone that was there for contacting employees. She dialed the number to Hiten's office, keeping a glare fixed on an unaware InuYasha.

"Hiten-?"

"What's up, babe?" he replied, recognizing Kagome's voice and relaxing.

"They want to talk with Bankotsu-"

"Already? All right- that's cool. We'll be down in a moment."

"Okay, I-"

Hiten hung up. Kagome felt a wave of irritation flash through her, but she supposed that they didn't have long- and would need to be back to work rather quickly. A moment later, a sharp knock at the door had Kagome up and opening it, and Hiten, Bankotsu, Jakotsu, and Suikotsu strode through.

Jakotsu and Suikotsu were still in uniform- Suikotsu wearing his bartending apron instead of a vest like Jakotsu. Kagome wondered what was going on- to have all of them up here. Smiling at them, she led them over for introductions.

"This is Bankotsu, the primary owner of the club," she introduced. "You've already met, though. These are his two eldest brothers, Suikotsu and Jakotsu," she pointed out, "And this is Hiten Rai, who helps manage the club with his brother Manten because we're all still in school,"

"A pleasure," Touga said, rising to shake hands, as Sesshomaru followed suit.

"Ah," Bankotsu said. "Before we start, can I get you anything?"

"A round of beer," InuYasha said, crossing his arms. It was more of a mutter, bur Bankotsu caught it. Sending a subtle glare in his direction, he pressed down his lapel, and spoke through a hidden walkie-talkie.

"Kyokotsu, a round for our guests, please,"

"Certainly," a voice rumbled.

"Now,"

"Yes," Sesshomaru spoke up. "It has come to our attention that you and your brothers have exceptional skills in detailing and painting," he said, as Miroku pulled out the picture InuYasha had snapped of their project and placed it on the table in front of them.

Bankotsu regarded the picture carefully for a moment, before giving InuYasha another dirty look. "Yes, we do," he replied, leaning back.

"We're interested in buying your services," Touga said, cutting straight to the point. "I- we," he corrected after a moment. "Are in the possession of several vehicles that need to undergo a-"

"Makeover," InuYasha supplied.

"Yes, thank you." Touga said, frowning at his youngest. "We were wondering if you would be interested in assisting us in this endeavor."

"Well," Bankotsu said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We are busy with school work- but summer vacation is coming up, so we would have some time to help then, I suppose."

"Of course," Touga smiled. "And you would be given any materials you require, as well as a payment for each vehicle you're able to complete.

Kagome listened through one ear, rising to get the door when Kyokotsu knocked with their drinks. Bringing them over, she felt her earlier irritation at InuYasha return. They had used her to get to Bankotsu for his detailing? She flashed an irritated glance at Sesshomaru, who seemed to sense her look, and looked up. He seemed confused at her irritation.

Sango pulled out a folder, and she and Miroku began spreading several pictures of their garage and the cars that they wanted re-painted. Touga began explaining, as Bankotsu studied the pictures.

Walking to the door, she glanced back one last time. They were now discussing what was going to be done at the club in their absence. This was ridiculous! She had arranged the meeting so that she could find out about what was going on with this strange gang activity- and all they were doing was talking about cars.

Usually, she would have partaken in the conversation… but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to. No one seemed to notice as she left.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cutting through the dance floor, Kagome made her way to the elevator that took her to the exit. Her displeasure seemed to evaporate the further away she got- but she still couldn't believe what had just happened.

Touga Taisho was her godfather? And her mother didn't see fit to tell her? And they used her to get to her best friend… the evening ran through her head on replay.

Mukotsu smiled at her as she stepped outside. It was dark, the sun having already set. Renkotsu, seeing her exit, moved over to her.

"Something the matter?"

"Eh," Kagome sighed. "No, not really. Just a minor setback,"

"Don't let it stop you," he smiled.

"Of course not," she replied. Moving around the side of the building, she made her way to the main street, where she would call for a taxi. Looking into her purse, she noted that she'd have to go to the bank some time tomorrow.

The gentle rumble of a car caught her attention, and she looked up from digging through her purse. A familiar lavender car had pulled to a stop in front of her.

"Do you need a ride?" a soft voice asked. Kagome stared into the dark eyes of the man with pale hair.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**A/N:** Hoooo boy. That's that then, isn't it? I wonder what you all thought of that chapter. Please be sure to tell me in a review!!

Also, please continue voting for the pairing that you'd like. As long as you tell me which pairing you want most, then that's enough. I think I've decided what I'm planning on doing- alternate endings with each pairing. However, there needs to be a main pairing. So please keep voting, okie? As the story progresses... well... you'll just have to wait and see how that plays out.

Thanks for sticking with me for so long- if you're still reading this. I LOVE YOUUU!

U3U

**ancient-relic**


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